TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State forward Trent Lockett will transfer to Marquette for his final season, he and the school said in a joint announcement Saturday.
The move will bring Lockett closer to his mother, Judy, who recently was diagnosed with cancer, and probably closer to the NCAA tournament.
"It's the hardest decision I've ever had to make," said Lockett, who is from suburban Minneapolis. "The reason I am transferring is to be closer to my mom, but at the same time I needed to make a good basketball decision, and Marquette provides a great fit for me to finish my collegiate basketball career."
Lockett earned a degree in business communications from ASU last week, graduating in three years, and because he has graduated he will be immediately eligible at Marquette, located in Milwaukee, Wis.
Marquette was 27-7 last season and advanced to the Sweet 16, where it lost to Florida 68-58 at US Airways Centers on March 22. Marquette, which plays in the Big East, has made seven consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, the last two in the Sweet 16.
Lockett, ASU's best player the last two years, should factor in immediately. Forward Jae Crowder and guard Darius Johnson-Odom, the Warriors' leading scorers last year, have completed their eligibility. Crowder, the Big East player of the year, averaged 17.6 points and 8.4 rebounds a game. Johnson-Odom averaged 18.5 points a game.
Lockett, a 6-foot-5 swingman, was ASU's most productive player in 2011-12 despite missing six games in the middle of the Pac-12 conference season because of a severely sprained right ankle.
He led the team in scoring (13.0 points a game), rebounding (5.8 per game) and steals (37). Lockett also sacrificed for the team, agreeing to play out of position at point guard during the Pac-12 season after sophomore Keala King was kicked off the team.
ASU, which finished 10-21 last season, plans to rebuild around point guard Jahii Carson. Carson was academically ineligible last season. ASU also returns starters Jordan Bachynski, Jonathan Gilling and Carrick Felix. Bachynski and Gilling earned starting jobs during the Pac-12 season.
Lockett is the third player to transfer this offseason, with the first two being minimal contributors, forward Kyle Cain and wing Chanse Creekmur.
"We continue to support Trent and his family through this difficult time," ASU coach Herb Sendek said in a prepared statement.
"We are proud of all that he has accomplished at Arizona State, including being able to celebrate his graduation this weekend with family and friends, and know he will always be a Sun Devil at heart. We are glad he has found a good place to complete his college career close to home so he can provide support to his mom."
Lockett averaged 10.8 points and 4.7 rebounds while starting 69 of his 87 games at ASU. He also visited Iowa State and Minnesota, although the hometown Gophers had no scholarships to give.
"Words can't express my gratitude to the program and all it has given me," Lockett said. "I am now a proud graduate of ASU. I appreciate ASU's patience with me over the last few weeks as my family and I have made this difficult decision to transfer to another school and be closer to home."
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