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Former Western Kentucky guard Derrick Gordon commits to UMass

NCAA Basketball Tournament -  Western Kentucky v Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, KY - MARCH 15: Derrick Gordon #5 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers walks off the court dejected with his head down after they lost 81-66 against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second round of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at KFC YUM! Center on March 15, 2012 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

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Former Western Kentucky guard Derrick Gordon announced his decision to commit to Massachusetts on Friday afternoon.

One of the best freshmen in the Sun Belt in 2011-12, Gordon decided to leave WKU after helping lead the Hilltoppers to the NCAA tournament in order to play closer to his New Jersey home.

Gordon, who played his high school basketball at St. Patrick (NJ) High, started all 35 games for WKU and averaged 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.

After the regular season Gordon was named third team All-Sun Belt, and his play during the Sun Belt tournament resulted in his making the all-tournament team.

Gordon will have to sit out the 2012-13 season per NCAA transfer rules, but he joins a UMass program that’s trending upward following a 25-12 campaign and a trip to the NIT semifinals.

And his arrival opens up the possibility of Gordon teaming up with jet-quick point guard Chaz Williams in 2013-14 as Williams enters his junior season.

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