The Roanoke Times I File 2008

Hank Thorns, playing in a 2008 game against Longwood for Virginia Tech, will play for Texas Christian in the Mountain West Conference beginning with the 2010-11 season. The point guard left Virginia Tech for more playing time.

Hank Thorns has a new team.

Thorns, the point guard who announced in May that he intended to leave Virginia Tech, has decided to transfer to Texas Christian.

Thorns said Monday he picked TCU, a member of the Mountain West Conference, over DePaul and Fresno State.

"I played a lot of minutes at Virginia Tech. I just didn't have the opportunity to do what I wanted to do, showcase all my abilities," Thorns said in a phone interview from his new school. "I feel like here at TCU, I have that opportunity, to play like Hank.

"I definitely know I can come here and put up points, but I also have guys around me that can put up points.

"I'm excited. It's a fresh start, and that's what I felt I needed."

Thorns, a native of Las Vegas, has some relatives in Dallas. So TCU, in nearby Fort Worth, appealed to him. He also liked that TCU was in the same conference, the Mountain West, as UNLV.

The Horned Frogs went 14-17, 5-11 in the Mountain West last season.

Thorns will have to sit out next season under NCAA transfer rules. He will then have two years of eligibility.

"Hank possesses a lot of qualities that we look for in our point guards," TCU coach Jim Christian said in wa statement. "He is very quick, sees the floor well and provides outstanding leadership."

The 5-foot-9, 140-pound Thorns, once a standout wide receiver in high school, said Southern Methodist was interested in him transferring there for both football and basketball. But he decided playing just one sport was hard enough on his body.

Thorns averaged 4.6 points, 21.1 minutes and a team-high 3.2 assists in 2007-08, when he started 12 games and broke Bimbo Coles' Tech freshman record for assists (113). He averaged 2.7 points, 18.9 minutes and 2.4 assists last season, when he started two games.

Thorns and Tech coach Seth Greenberg said Thorns could have remained on the Hokies -- on scholarship -- if he wanted.

"I love Hank to death," Greenberg said Monday.

But Thorns was not happy at Tech. He wanted more playing time, and to be more of a scorer.

Thorns also wasn't thrilled when Greenberg wooed guards such as Lamont "Mo Mo" Jones, who orally committed to Tech but signed with Southern California, and Seth Curry, who decided to transfer from Liberty to Duke.

"I just felt unwanted," Thorns said.