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Joshua Bone and the SIU men's basketball team announced Monday they would sever ties.
Bone, a junior guard, made his decision to leave after the team returned from a recent trip to Canada where Bone saw little playing time.
"I was confused with my role on the team," Bone said. "I came into this year thinking it could be a breakout year for me and Canada really opened eyes a bit about my role on this team."
Bone entered the Canada trip listed as a returning starter on the team's 2008 prospectus but quickly saw his role diminish as the team progressed through the preseason tournament.
Bone averaged just more than 13 minutes per game while freshmen Kevin Dillard (29.5 minutes per game) and Ryan Hare (19 minutes per game), and sophomore Justin Bocot (24.6 minutes per game) each saw their role prosper.
To magnify the situation, Bone averaged 1.3 points per game while Dillard and Bocot averaged 17.5 points per game and 10 point per game respectively.
Bone, though, said the decision was not solely based on what happened in Canada.
"This wasn't the first time I had been thinking about it," he said. "It wasn't a quick decision. I just felt like I would be better off somewhere else."
Bone started 19 games for the Salukis last season and led the team in 3-pointers with 57. He was the team's fourth leading scorer averaging 8.1 points per game and averaged 27.3 minutes per game for a team that finished with a disappointing 18-15 record and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven seasons.
Head coach Chris Lowery was not available for comment but did release an official statement on the team's Web site.
"Josh has been an important part of our program the last two years, and we appreciate everything he's done in a Saluki uniform," Lowery said in the statement.
Bone said he will remain at SIU until the end of the semester before transferring to another school to play basketball.
Bone wouldn't reveal what schools he was considering, but did say he had narrowed a list down to five Division I schools.
"I am willing to go anywhere where I can win and play," he said. "I think SIU taught me a lot and I think I can carry that on to another team and help them win."
Bone said he had no resentment towards players or coaches.
He said he would miss his teammates but wanted to enjoy the rest of his college career on a team that would give him a chance to play.
"I wish the best to all the players and coaches and to SIU," he said. "I established a lot of lifelong relationships here and I wish them nothing but the best."
NCAA rules require Bone to sit out one academic year before he is eligible to play for another school. Bone will only have one year of eligibility remaining.
Brian Feldt can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 256 or bfeldt@siude.com.
