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Maryland to appeal denied waiver for transfer Dez Wells

Dez Wells

After Xavier transfer Dez Wells was denied a waiver to play immediately at Maryland, the school will appeal the ruling, multiple outlets are reporting.

Wells, a 6-5 wing, was expelled from Xavier earlier this year after being charged with sexual assault, but the charges were later rejected by a grand jury.

Controversy ensued, with many saying Wells was prematurely expelled from the school and that the university moved too quickly in their judgment of the case.

If Wells is able to enter the mix for Maryland this season, they have potential to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament. He averaged 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, along with being a superb athlete.

Maryland has had difficulties with the NCAA of late after an unfavorable eligibility ruling was handed down to freshman Sam Cassell Jr., which now forced him to attend junior college.

Baltimore Sun writer Don Markus has an interesting take:

“It reminds me of the old Jerry Tarkanian line. Tarkanian, who battled the NCAA long and hard during his career at UNLV and before that at Long Beach State, once joked that the “NCAA is so mad at Kentucky that they they put Cleveland State on probation.”

The Terps are not Cleveland State, but in this situation they might be close.”

Maryland opens its season on Nov. 9 against Kentucky at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Daniel Martin is a writer and editor at JohnnyJungle.com, covering St. John’s. You can find him on Twitter:@DanielJMartin_