Virginia Tech basketball picked up a graduate transfer commitment from Iowa power forward Cordell Pemsl on Sunday evening. The 6-9, 248-pounder will provide the Hokies with another big man and bolster the team’s frontcourt.
Pemsl averaged 5.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 96 career games for the Hawkeyes. During the course of his career he had knee and groin surgeries, which impacted his 2019-20 season with Iowa. However, he ended the season strong once the calendar turned to February, and between February 20 and February 29 he averaged six points and 7.3 rebounds over a three-game stretch.
Pemsl’s most productive season was his freshman season when he averaged 8.9 points and 5.0 rebounds while starting 14 of 34 games for the Hawkeyes.
With Pemsl on board, Virginia Tech’s scholarship situation looks like this…
Cartier Diarra (r-Sr.)
Cordell Pemsl (r-Sr.)
Wabissa Bede (Sr.)
PJ Horne (Sr.)
Keve Aluma (r-Jr.)
Jonathan Kabongo (r-So.)
Tyrece Radford (r-So.)
Hunter Cattoor (So.)
Jalen Cone (So.)
Nahiem Alleyne (So.)
John Ojiako (So.)
Joe Bamisile (Fr.)
Darius Maddox (Fr.)
David N’Guessan (Fr.)
That’s 14 players, and the scholarship limit is 13, which means there will have to be more attrition between now and the start of next season.