New to the Zoo: Pitt lands Delaware transfer Ithiel Horton

Wednesday proved to be a big day for Pitt head coach Jeff Capel, as he landed two recruits in a span of less than six hours. The first was K.J. Marshall, a point guard who will walk on from Au’Diese Toney’s old high school in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The second was Delaware transfer Ithiel Horton, a shooting guard Pitt fended off Arkansas and Virgina Tech to land.

Horton announced his decision via Instagram just before 6 p.m. ET. He chose Pitt after drawing interest from 10 schools.

"Delaware will forever be in my heart, and I will be always cheering them on and encouraging them no matter the occasion," Horton said. "With that being said, my final two schools were Arkansas and Pittsburgh, but I can only go to one. So my family and I decided that I will be attending the University of Pittsburgh and playing for Jeff Capel and the Panthers."

Shortly after entering the transfer portal, the 6’3”, 200-pound guard received offers from George Washington, Marquette, Miami, Minnesota, Northwestern, UCLA, and Xavier in addition to the aforementioned three schools. Arkansas, Pitt and Virginia Tech were part of an informal top three that was quickly pared down to a top two of Arkansas and Pitt.

As a freshman at Delaware, Horton averaged 13.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, ranking third among Blue Hens players in scoring. He also shot 40.9 percent from three-point range, making him one of Delaware’s most consistent shooters. In addition, he went on a 10-game double-digit point total streak that lasted from Nov. 13, 2018, to Dec. 16, 2018, lending credence to the notion that he could potentially fill the void if Xavier Johnson declares for the NBA draft.

Whatever role Horton slides into with the Panthers, it appears he has the wherewithal to add some much-needed potency to the Pitt offense and perhaps lead if called upon. In accordance with NCAA transfer rules, he will sit out the 2019-20 season and then be eligible to play for the following three seasons. With the addition of the Delaware transfer, Pitt has just one open scholarship remaining.