Matt Mooney to leave USD

Matt Mooney, a junior men’s basketball player, announced Sunday on Twitter that he will not be returning to USD next year.

Following the departure of former head coach Craig Smith on March 25, Mooney had made an announcement April 5 on Twitter saying his contract from USD had been released.

“I am not for sure leaving USD, but I will be exploring my options as a grad transfer,” the tweet read.

Mooney announced Sunday that he had made a final decision.

“With a heavy heart, I’ve decided I will not be coming back to USD next year,” he said. “This decision has been weighing on my for a long time now, and it’s something I’ve prayed about a lot. I think it’s the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my life.”

Mooney said in the tweet that he was grateful to the coaching staff, the team and Todd Lee, the new men’s head coach.

“…Coach Lee made this decision very hard for me,” he said. “I enjoyed my time working with him and getting to know him. I believe he will continue to win here.”

Mooney said he wasn’t sure where he would be playing his final season, though, according to The Spun, Mooney has been looked at by several colleges, including Arizona and Iowa State.

Mooney leaves USD with an average 18.7 points per game, totaled 637 points on the season and ranks 24th in the nation with 67 steals. Mooney scored 30 or more points five times this season, including his career-best 33 points against South Dakota State University on Feb. 22. Mooney helped lead USD to a 26-9 record, the most wins in the Division I era for USD. Mooney was named to the 2017-18 Lou Henson All-America team.