Harvard guard Bryce Aiken, a New Jersey native who led the Crimson in scoring each of the last two seasons, committed Thursday to returning to his home state and joining Seton Hall next season. As a graduate transfer, Aiken's immediately eligible, giving the Pirates an ideal lead guard to replace outgoing sharpshooter Myles Powell.
Aiken chose the Pirates over Maryland, Iowa State and Michigan after initially spurning Seton Hall coming out of high school as a four-star recruit from New Jersey's Saint Patrick High School. He cites the desire to return to his home state as a pull he ultimately couldn't push away from.
"Ultimately my heart just chose to stay home," he told NJ.com. "I followed my heart this time around and I knew where I wanted to be for my final year and it was important for me to be home and be able to share this experience with my friends and my family, along with the state of New Jersey. I probably came to a conclusion a week ago, I would say."
Aiken suffered a season-ending injury last season after just seven games, averaging 16.7 points, 1.7 assists and 36.1% shooting from 3-point range. The previous year he was an All-Ivy League First Team player, averaging 22.2 points and shooting 39.8% from 3-point range.
Aiken has big shoes to fill at Seton Hall replacing a legend in Myles Powell, the reigning Big East Player of the Year who averaged 21.0 points per game last season. He'll have help, though. The 21-win Pirates from last year lose three senior starters but are expected to rely heavily on key cogs Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jared Rhoden, who played key roles last year. Canisius transfer Takal Molson should help carry the load of outgoing production as well.
