Hysier Miller Released From Virginia Tech Men’s Basketball Program

Hysier Miller is no longer with the Virginia Tech men’s basketball program. (Ivan Morozov)

Hysier Miller has been released from the Virginia Tech men’s basketball program, the school announced Tuesday.

“Temple transfer point guard Hysier Miller has been permanently released from the Virginia Tech men’s basketball program due to circumstances prior to his enrollment at Virginia Tech,” the statement reads. “There will be no further comment by the university on this matter.”

As Pat Forde and Sports Illustrated have reported, Miller’s departure is related to the gambling inquiry around the Temple men’s basketball program from last season. Miller, a Philadelphia native, averaged 15.9 points per game for the Owls last season before transferring to Virginia Tech in April.

The situation revolves around a March 7 game between Temple and UAB. The Blazers opened as 1.5-point favorites but the line suddenly jumped up to eight points later in the day before falling back to seven at the time of tipoff. The Owls lost that game by 28, 100-72, and Miller scored just eight points, a rare single-digit night for the junior, who entered the contest off the heels of 11 straight double-figure outings. He was 3-of-9 from the field with one rebound and three turnovers in 30 minutes of action.

Temple faced UAB in a rematch 10 days later in the AAC Tournament final and lost, 85-69, though Miller recorded 32 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Miller’s departure leaves the Hokies with two point guards for the 2024-25 season: sophomore Brandon Rechsteiner (6-1, 190) and freshman Ben Hammond (5-11, 170). Rechsteiner, who hails from Acworth, Ga., averaged two points per game last year in 26 appearances, making two starts when Sean Pedulla was injured. Hammond is a Fairfax native who starred at Paul VI.

It’s the second time in as many seasons a potential key piece departs the program less than two weeks before the start of the season. Former guard Rodney Rice, now of Maryland, announced he was leaving 13 days before last year’s opener.

The Hokies open their season in 12 days on Monday, Nov. 4, in Cassell Coliseum vs. Delaware State at 8 p.m. ET. They were picked to finish 14th in the now 18-team ACC.

24 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Meanwhile, it’ll be very interesting to see how Coach Duffy’s up-tempo team performs this season.

  2. Wow, I’m shellshocked. I was looking forward to seeing what he brought to the table. Hard to imagine a good season with Soph/Fresh point guards. Do we have any combo guards that might end up sliding over to point?

  3. NIL + Gambling = disaster for College Basketball. Add in unfulfilled NIL commitments, tax fraud and NCAA incompetence = a cesspool of sports spit. Then – if the Feds get involved – ?????.

  4. Huge loss. Unless Brandon makes a big step up. And even then, we will have same problem we had when Pedulla had to play heavy minutes every game. Can’t image Hammond being good enough to contribute much this year. Hope I am wrong.

  5. These days, so called “classic” point guards are kind of a liability. Got to have a guy who can run the offense, distribute and handle the ball AND score. Hope this young man can do all those things at a high level.

  6. They were probably pretty thorough in their investigation of this. VT doesn’t need that. Rechsteiner is a classic point guard (for once) and he’ll be fine. I’m predicting far better than anyone could imagine. VT has some good pieces. Rechsteiner will be a good distributor and he has a good shot when needed.

    1. I’m glad you’re feeling positive bc I think this season is sunk. We already were looking pretty suspect with the quality of transfers we were getting, and now we lose one of (if not the best) transfer. I predict a loonnggg season. I wouldn’t be surprised if MY pulls a Bennett and hangs it up after the season. Tired of this crap and turning over the roster each year.

      It was a nice little run, but we gotta pay with the big boys if we want to play with the big boys.

      1. Mike Young deserved better. I agree that he … like the classy Mike Bennett … may question whether being involved in today’s pay-for-play college sports is worth the agony.

        1. I am totally heartbroken with what College athletics has become! It really is a semi-pro league in which some of the athletes are making triple the coaches salary! That is ridiculous. It is not Name, Image, and Likeness at all. It is literally a pay to play league. I agree the players deserve to make money on sales of jerseys, and other merchandise that bears their image and likeness. I also agree they should be able to make money from their social media accounts and autographs, tv/radio commercials and such. Simply signing them to the highest bidder is DESTROYING college sports in general. I fear that we have not yet begun to see the effects that it is inevitably going to have on College athletics across the board. I think we are going to see a lot of programs simply “fold” and call it a day. I think it is not a matter of if, but a matter of when! It is truly heartbreaking!

      2. I am totally heartbroken with what College athletics has become! It really is a semi-pro league in which some of he athletes are making triple the coaches salary! That is ridiculous. It is not Name, Image, and Likeness at all. It is literally a pay to play league. I agree the players deserve to make money on sales of jerseys, and other merchandise that bears their image and likeness. I also agree they should be able to make money from their social media accounts and autographs and such. Simply signing them to the highest bidder is DESTROYING college sports and we have not yet begun to see the effects that it is inevitably going to have on College athletics across the board. I think we are going to see a lot of programs simply “fold” and call it a day. I think it is not a matter of if, but a matter of when! It is truly heartbreaking!

    1. And he was going to be one of our best. Not many guys can get to the rack on this team, another unathletic Mike Young team that beats terrible teams and will get owned by athletic P5 teams.

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