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Eastern Illinois announces the addition of well-traveled guard Reggie Smith

UNLV-Bakersfield

UNLV’s Reggie Smith drives against CSUB Bakersfield’s Ivan Matip and Zach Lamb Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012 at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, Calif. UNLV won 89-57. (AP Photo/Alex Horvath)

AP

The current climate of college basketball when it comes to transfers isn’t the most stable one, as more than 400 players have decided to switch schools.

One of those is Reggie Smith, who originally began his college career at Marquette before moving on to UNLV.

After sitting out one year in Las Vegas and playing 20 games last season, the Chicago native decided that UNLV wasn’t the best place for him.

Smith will now attend Eastern Illinois, where he will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2012-13 campaign.

“Reggie has played at the highest level of college basketball,” said head coach Jay Spoonhour in a statement released by the school.

“He is an explosive player who will give our team some real speed and athleticism at the guard.”

In 20 games for UNLV last season Smith averaged six minutes and 2.5 points per game, shooting 40.5% from the field and 47.1% from beyond the arc.

An all-state selection in both his junior and senior seasons of high school basketball, Smith hasn’t been able to find consistent playing time at either of his first two stops.

That shouldn’t be an issue at EIU, where Spoonhour is beginning his first season at the helm after spending the last three seasons as head coach at Moberly Area Community College.

EIU finished 12-17 last season, winning just five games in OVC play and finishing tenth in the conference standings.

With the addition of Belmont and the OVC going to divisional play (EIU is in the West, which also includes Austin Peay, Murray State, SIU-Edwardsville, Southeast Missouri State and Tennessee-Martin), Eastern Illinois needed talent especially with two of their top three scorers leaving the program.

If Smith can remain satisfied with his role the Panthers should be able to reap the benefits in 2013-14.

Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.