Wooden pops up at UNT

Former Free State High basketball standout Keith Wooden has surfaced at North Texas University.

The 6-foot-9 Wooden, who spent his first two seasons at Arizona State, already has enrolled for classes at the Denton, Texas, school.

“At the beginning of recruiting season our main focus was to address our needs in the post,” UNT coach Johnny Jones said. “He will make a huge impact for our program.”

Wooden averaged 3.3 points a game two years ago as a freshman at Arizona State. His playing time diminished last season, then he was declared academically ineligible for the second semester.

Wooden will sit out the 2005-2006 season and have two years of eligibility remaining.

“I am only 19, so I look at it as a year that I can use to get better and get to where I want to go,” Wooden told the Dallas Morning News. “I need to get stronger and polish my fundamentals.”

After Wooden left Arizona State, he announced he would transfer to Wichita State. However, WSU coach Mark Turgeon announced 10 days ago that Wooden would not be coming.