June 8, 2006

Chicago, Ill. - University of Illinois at Chicago Head Men's Basketball Coach Jimmy Collins announced on Thursday that 6-foot-7, 238-pound forward Jeremy Buttell (Colleyville, Texas/Heritage) will join the Flames after spending his freshman season at Texas Tech.

Buttell (byou-TELL) will not be able to compete for UIC until the 2007-08 campaign per NCAA transfer guidelines, but will be able to practice with the team this fall. He will have three years of eligibility with the Flames.

"Jeremy is a tremendous athlete and we are happy to have someone with his talents here at UIC," said Collins. "He has a very high skill level and will fit right into our style of play."

As a freshman, Buttell saw action in 19 games for the Red Raiders, averaging 1.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in just over five minutes per contest. He tallied a season-high nine points in Texas Tech's loss to Syracuse on Nov. 17 at Madison Square Garden.

Buttell starred at Colleyville Heritage High School in the Dallas/Fort Worth area during his prep days, averaging 17.5 points and 11.9 rebounds per game as a senior. He was a two-time All-State honoree (2004, 2005) and was named the 2005 Texas 5A `Offensive Player of the Year'.