The Pitt basketball program took another hit on Tuesday when the school announced that backup center Derrick Randall would be suspended indefinitely.
Randall was arrested early Tuesday on Rutgers University’s campus and charged with driving while intoxicated, use of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
“The incident involving Derrick Randall is not only surprising, but incredibly disappointing,” coach Jamie Dixon said in a statement. “Although I believe it was out of character for Derrick, he has been indefinitely suspended.”
This is the second DUI related incident in as many years for the Pitt program as former Panthers guard Trey Ziegler was arrested last season and subsequently suspended. Ziegler has since transferred to TCU.
The Bergen Record reported that an officer initiated a motor vehicle stop on a car that was operating with its headlights off and the investigation led to two arrests: Randall and his passenger, Abayomi O. Olaogun, 19, of Hillside, N.J.
The incident took place at 2:45 am, close to the Louis Brown Athletic Center, where Rutgers plays its home basketball games.
Randall, who transferred from Rutgers to Pitt last summer, averaged 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game this past season.
In other Pitt news:
– Pitt is reportedly among eight schools in the running for USC guard Byron Wesley.
The 6’5″ guard announced last week that he was transferring in an attempt to play with a winning program.
In addition to the Panthers, Cincinnati, Baylor, Indiana, Providence, Gonzaga, Michigan State and Oklahoma State have already shown interest.
Wesley is coming off a strong season in which he averaged a team-high 17.8 points and 6.4 rebounds for USC this past season.
He is on pace to earn his psychology degree this summer and would not have to sit out a season if he is able to graduate.
-In football news, highly thought of running back Jameel Poteat is heading to Pitt.
The Bishop McDevitt standout was originally a verbal commit when Dave Wannstedt was coach, but after the Pitt coaching drama changed his mind and headed to Cincinnati. After a lack of playing time he transferred to Stony Brook and is now back on the move again heading to Pitt.
An ankle injury limited Poteat to only six games at Stony Brook, but he is hoping he can find success in the Panthers backfield.
He was a four-star recruit who found the end zone 84 times at McDevitt and rushed for a total of 4,832 yards, including 3,386 yards in his final two seasons.
That’s more than both Ricky Watters and LeSean McCoy had while attending the same high school.
He will join the team in May as a walk-on, sit out the 2014 season due to NCAA transfer eligibility rules and then have one year to play as a Panther.
Photo Credit: Associated Press
