Auburn men’s basketball coach Steven Pearl announced on Apr. 25 that forward Thomas Dowd has officially signed with the Tigers after transferring from Troy University.
Dowd, an in-state player from Dothan, Alabama, joins Auburn as a senior with significant experience. He played in 99 games over three seasons at Troy, scoring a total of 1,010 points and collecting 747 rebounds. His junior year was notable for averaging a double-double with 14.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
Pearl said, “We are thrilled to welcome Thomas Dowd and his family to the Plains. Thomas comes from a large family with strong Auburn ties which makes this an incredible match for us and the Dowd family. One of the things we constantly ask our guys is ‘are your teammates and our team better when you are on the floor?’ For Thomas the answer to that question is unequivocally yes. Thomas impacts winning in all areas of the game which makes him such a strong and valuable addition to our team.”
During his last season at Troy, Dowd recorded 17 double-doubles and earned First Team All-Sun Belt honors. He also had a standout performance against San Diego State, leading his team to an upset victory with 25 points and 19 rebounds. He helped guide Troy to win the Sun Belt Tournament title while being named SBC Tournament MVP as he contributed to securing a spot in this year’s NCAA Tournament as a No.13 seed.
The six-foot-eight forward shot 44 percent from the field last season while making 65 three-pointers and converting on eighty percent of his free throws (92-of-115). Pearl said about Dowd’s offensive skills: “Offensively you can put Thomas anywhere on the floor and he’s going to have a positive impact on the game…Thomas is a multi-level scorer who can get to the rim and finish through contact and his percentages from three don’t do justice for the level of three-point shooter we see him projecting in our system.”
Pearl also commented on Dowd’s defensive abilities: “Defensively he is going to fit in with our system seamlessly because of his ability to guard multiple positions at one through five. His motor, versatility and athleticism has turned him into one of the best shot blocking and offensive and defensive rebounding wings in the country.”
Dowd joins other new signees for Auburn’s upcoming season including Narcisse Ngoy (France), Bukky Oboye (Houston/Santa Clara), Adam Olsen (Canada/South Alabama), Owen Freeman (Illinois/Iowa/Creighton), along with incoming freshman Caleb Williams from Tampa.
