NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL: Former Siena scoring leader commits to Old Dominion

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. — Former Siena guard Sean Durugordon has found another new home to pursue his basketball career, Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Greenlight Media announced Thursday afternoon on ‘X,’ formerly known as Twitter, that Durugordon, the 6’5” redshirt junior who led the Saints in points-per-game last season (18.0), is transferring to play for the Monarchs next season.

“Monarch Nation let’s do it!” Durugordon commented on the post.

Old Dominion will be Durugordon’s fourth college since graduating from Putnam Science Academy (CT) in 2021. Durugordon started at the University of Missouri, redshirting his freshman season as the team made a run into the NCAA Tournament before losing in the Round of 64 versus Oklahoma.

During the 2021-22 campaign, Durugordon played in 12 games for the Tigers, averaging 3.2 PPG, and 1.2 rebounds per game, across an average of 5.4 minutes a night. Before the 202-23 season, Durugordon made his first transfer, heading to Austin Peay.

With the Governors, Durugordon paced in points per game as a redshirt sophomore (12.4), led the Atlantic Sun Conference in offensive rebounds per game (2.44), and was tenth in rebounding (6.0), making him a coveted target for former Siena head coach Carmen Maciariello that offseason.

Coming to Loudonville in the summer of 2023, Durugordon’s impact wouldn’t be felt until Siena’s eleventh game of the season, as the redshirt junior was ruled ineligible due to previous, two-time transfer NCAA restrictions.

Upon a return, Durugordon scored 20-plus points in six straight games, capped off by back-to-back games with 30 or more points and 12 rebounds. He’d cool down across the next three contests, scoring 13, 16, and 25 points, but from there, missed the next two games due to a lower-body injury.

Durugordon returned from a brief absence to play in the Saints’ next five games, from Feb. 2 to 16, but would again hit the shelf for the last six games of the regular season, this time to an upper-body injury, reported by the school.

The Harlem, N.Y. native returned for his last game in the green in gold, down in Atlantic City, for Siena’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Tournament First Round matchup vers Niagara. Durugordon logged five points in the loss, tallying three rebounds as the Saints left AC with a final record of 4-28.

Along with Durugordon, five of the Saints’ top-six scorers in points per game last season will be in a new uniform in 2024-25. Michael Eley (Tulane; 13.3 PPG), Giovanni Emejuru (George Mason; 11.3), Zek Tekin (Le Moyne; 9.0), Mason Courtney (St. Edward’s), and Killian Gribben (Maine; 4.1) all announced their transfers since the portal opened back on March 15, with Bralyn Smith, Kyle Winters, Brendan Coyle, Mosi Clayton, Michael Evbagharu and Michael Ojo the only Saints set to return next season, under new Saints’ head coach Gerry McNamara.

McNamara has already announced eight new additions to the program next season, including six newcomers from the transfer portal.