Texas sophomore guard Varez Ward will transfer to Auburn in order to be closer to his sick mother.

Ward was the starting guard on a Texas team that started off 17-0 and had the No. 1 ranking in the country. However, he was injured in November during a pregame warm up, an injury that kept him sidelined for the rest of the season.

Another (less prominent) factor in Ward’s decision is the competition on the Longhorns basketball team to make the starting lineup. With Texas bringing in Corey Joseph, a freshman star from Nevada’s Findlay Prep, getting the starting point guard spot is not an easy task. Ward will have a better chance to get on the floor more, if not start outright in Auburn.

Although he is a good player, Texas should be okay without Ward, as freshman phenom Corey Joseph, sophomore J’Covan Brown, and junior Dogus Balbay look to secure the point.