Mike Talley was once part of an undefeated eighth grade basketball team at West Middle School. He'll play the final two years of his college basketball career in Ypsilanti, too.

The 5-foot-11 combo guard announced via Twitter on Monday that he is transferring to Eastern Michigan from Duquesne, from where he requested a release in mid-March.

Mike Talley

Duquesne University

Talley's father, Michael Talley Jr., a former point guard for the Michigan basketball team, confirmed the move to AnnArbor.com.

Mike Talley, who was a three-time Associated Press Class C Player of the Year at Melvindale Academy of Business & Technology, will sit out the 2012-13 season under NCAA transfer rules and have two years of eligibility remaining with the Eagles.

"I think it's always a good thing to play ball close to home, where friends and family can watch you," Michael Talley said. "(A year off) is even a blessing, because he'll have an extra year to get stronger and work on his craft."

In his freshman season at Duquesne, Talley played in all 32 games with 27 starts, averaging 6.9 points and 2.4 assists in 22.9 minutes. Last year, he started three games and averaged 7.5 points and 1.9 assists in 20.6 minutes.

In high school, Talley was a finalist for the 2010 Mr. Basketball Award in Michigan after averaging 31.2 points and 8.1 assists while leading Melvindale ABT to a 2009-10 Class C state title. The four-year varsity player averaged 24.5 points as a freshman and that total rose each season.

Duquesne fired coach Ron Everhart on March 23, but Michael Talley said his son decided to transfer before the coaching change, saying the Pittsburgh school "just wasn't the right fit."

While the father and son discussed "three or four" schools where Mike Talley could end up, both were excited to join new coach Rob Murphy's program at EMU.

"Their style of play is very similar to what we used at ABT," said Michael Talley, who coached his son in high school. "The best fit was EMU, for a lot of reasons."

Talley's sister, Devin Talley, was an All-State performer at Huron High School this winter.

Talley is the fourth player with Division I experience that has transferred to EMU since Murphy took the job after nine years as an assistant coach at Syracuse.

DaShonte Riley, a 7-foot center, followed Murphy from Syracuse and was able to join the team mid-season because of hardship waiver. He averaged 4.1 points and 4.3 rebounds in 19 games for the Eagles, who won the Mid-American Conference West Division regular season title.

Two more transfers -- 6-7 forward Glenn Bryant (Arkansas) and 6-6 guard Daylen Harrison (Wyoming) -- will be eligible next season.