Tennessee basketball prospect Rodney Rice has just added another visit to his schedule!
In a surprising twist, Rodney Rice, the Maryland transfer, stated just yesterday that he wouldn’t be planning any additional visits after his weekend trip to Knoxville to connect with the Tennessee basketball program. However, in an unexpected update, his father shared with Jon Rothstein of CBS on Monday morning that Rice has decided to visit USC this week.
Before his time in Tennessee, Rice explored Villanova last week, where he reunited with his former coach from Maryland, Kevin Willard. He has also engaged in Zoom discussions with Gonzaga and USC. Just last Thursday, Rice revealed his final six schools on social media, which include Tennessee, Maryland, Villanova, Auburn, USC, and Gonzaga. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting recruitment journey!
On his trip to Tennessee, he was joined by Ja’Kobi Gillespie, the dynamic point guard who recently transferred from Maryland and inked a deal with the Volunteers just last week. According to 247Sports, Rice sits at an impressive No. 22 in the overall transfer rankings and stands out as the fifth-best shooting guard. Together, Rice and Gillespie played pivotal roles in propelling the Terps to the Sweet Sixteen this past season.
In his solitary season with Maryland, after making the move from Virginia Tech during the previous offseason, Rice delivered a solid performance, averaging 13.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. His shooting statistics were noteworthy, boasting a 37.4% success rate from three-point territory, an overall field goal percentage of 43.4%, and an impressive 81.4% accuracy from the charity stripe.
Throughout the season, Rice took an average of 5.9 shots from beyond the arc across 36 games, starting in 32 of them. He recorded six games where he scored 20 points or more, with a standout performance of 26 points against Illinois during the Big Ten Tournament on March 14. Additionally, he shocked the crowd with a clutch three-pointer that clinched a thrilling 79-78 victory at Indiana on January 26, sealing his role as a game-winner.
Hailing from Clinton, Md., Rice joined Virginia Tech as part of the 2022 signing class after shining at DeMatha Catholic. Injuries limited him to just eight games in his freshman year (2022-23), leading to a redshirt in 2023-24. This past season, he returned to Maryland as a redshirt-sophomore.
At DeMatha, Rice was a standout player, earning three letters and one season under coach Mike Jones. He was named to the All-Met First Team in 2021-22, leading his team with an impressive average of 18.5 points per game. As a high school recruit, 247Sports placed him as the No. 104 player nationally, No. 16 among combo guards, and No. 3 in Maryland.
Tennessee is gearing up to revamp its backcourt this offseason. With Zakai Zeigler, Jahmai Mashack, Chaz Lanier, Jordan Gainey, and Darlinstone Dubar all moving on after leading UT to back-to-back Elite Eight appearances, rising sophomore Bishop Boswell stands alone as the returning guard. However, the Vols have already secured two promising 2025 recruits: four-star wing Amari Evans and three-star point guard Troy Henderson. The signing of Gillespie marks a crucial first step in this rebuilding effort, and adding his former teammate could be pivotal as Rick Barnes heads into his 11th season on Rocky Top.