To D2 Southern Indiana, per Verbal Commits.

Why? I don't get this at all. He must have really hated it at Loyola. This makes no sense as a choice. .

Education? No way

More of s college atmosphere? Not a chance

Exposure? He will be playing in front of tens of fans next year.

Playing time? It's D2 and the way he was improving and with our needs, he stood to get some solid time this year with some improvement and work in the offseason.

I can only think that he was asked to leave...

Is it possible that with our new class coming in that he wouldn't get more time? It's had to disagree with Toledo on this one.

While it is a bummer Rajala is transferring I also wouldn't romanticize his potential too much. He averaged 10 minutes a game this year with 2.4 pts, 1.8 rebounds and 1.8 fouls as the first big off the bench. He had some impressive stretches in games near the end of the season but would still be a project player going into his junior year. Especially since he didn't really add weight during his first off season. A good amount of his points were due to him being left open under the hoop so he could lay it in uncontested; and he seemed to really struggle even getting a shot up when guarded in the post. He certainly began to take steps but how many more would he have to take before you could be fully confident having him defending UNI's bigs for 15-20 minutes a game? The New Mexico game still gives me nightmares.

Given that we have 3 incoming post players with more advertised success and experience (Andres, Grancic, Jackson) he may have seen playing time diminishing, maybe he wanted to go somewhere he could spread the floor more, or maybe he didn't like the pressure of a D1 school, with stiff academics, on top of being halfway across the country. Or maybe Toledo's right. Lots of factors. Who knows.

I wish him the best of luck in the future! Hope he finds success on and off the court at Southern Indiana.

Hyvästi, Julius.

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