#12 Bassirou Dieng

General

> Post player who had one year of eligibility at Tech after transferring from St. Francis (Pa.), where he played two seasons and graduated last spring … Received a waiver from the NCAA under its rule allowing graduate students to complete their eligibility at another school in a program (International Affairs in this case) not offered at their previous school … Played one year at Norfolk State (2004-05) and transferred to St. Francis, where he sat out the 2005-06 season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules.

> Athletic big man who can block shots and also shoot the ball from the outside (15-for-35 on threes in his career, 42.9 percent) … Averaged 6.5 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor in his collegiate career (8.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 46.2 pct. in two years at St. Francis).

2008-09 (Georgia Tech)

> Saw playing time in spurts as a frontcourt reserve … Has scored in only three of his nine games, hitting 4-of-5 shots from the floor.

> Did not play in Tech[apos]s last 15 games … Did not score after Dec. 20 at Pepperdine.

> Played with a subluxed elbow in the first couple of weeks of the season … Missed the Mercer game with a sprained left ankle, but returned to play against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

> Played 14 minutes against Winston-Salem State (4 rebounds, 2 blocks), nine minutes vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff … Hit his only three-point attempt vs. Winston-Salem State.

2007-08 (St. Francis)

> Took over as St. Francis[apos] starting center … Averaged 10.7 points (second on the team), a team-leading 6.6 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game while playing 30.6 minutes over 29 games as the Red Flash went 6-23 … Logged 17 games in double-figure points, topped by a 20-point, nine-rebound effort in a 63-50 win at St. Francis (N.Y.) … Had three double-doubles, including 10 points and 13 rebounds against Youngstown State, 12 and 12 against Bucknell, 11 and 13 at Wagner … Went 4-for-9 from three-point range, shot 46.7 percent overall.

2006-07 (St. Francis)

> Averaged 6.2 ppg and 3.9 rpg, and led team with 28 blocks … Made 10-of-21 shots from three-point range … His 1.00 bpg ranked fifth in NEC … Posted career-high 15 points to go with nine rebounds, career-high four assists at Wagner (1/27/07) … Registered only double-double with 13 points and a career high 11 rebounds at Mount St. Mary[apos]s (2/8/07) … Scored 14 points three times against Bucknell, Fairleigh-Dickinson and Quinnipiac, and has two other double-figure efforts … Played 19 minutes and scored four points in a loss at Georgia Tech.

2004-05 (Norfolk State)

> Played in 25 of Norfolk State[apos]s 27 games during his freshman season … Averaged 2.0 ppg and 1.2 rpg … Scored career-high nine points in Spartans[apos] victory over Savannah State.

High School

> Played small forward and power forward for head coach Louis Wilson Jr., at Riverdale Baptist High School in Upper Marlboro, Md., where he graduated in 2004 … Averaged 16 ppg, 8 rpg and 2 bpg … Was his high school MVP, and earned Washington Post Honorable Mention All-Metropolitan distinction … Led Riverdale Baptist to 23-6 record and captured 2004 Christian School National Championship … Also attended and played basketball at Laurinburg (N.C.) Institute for two years before that.

Personal

> Full name is Bassirou Dieng (pronounced BASS-uh-roo dee-ENG) … Goes by [quote]Bass[quote] … Born June 16, 1985 in Dakar … Son of Alassane and Diouma Dieng … His mother is a well-known clothing designer in Senegal … Devoted Muslim who has read the Koran, the Torah and the Bible … Enjoys going to movies, working on cars and bikes … Received his undergraduate degree in Political Science and International Studies from St. Francis in the spring of 2008, and made the University[apos]s honor roll twice … Enrolled in the International Affairs graduate program at Tech.