Hitting the Tansfer Talent Pool

Part Two – Proven Newcomers

(St. Louis, MO) – Missouri Valley Conference teams have dipped into the transfer talent pool. A shift in strategies that began slowly is now a point of emphasis for Valley coaches.

As noted in Part One of this study of improved talent, there are at least 17 Division 1 transfers dressing out this season for MVC teams. Players like Drake’s Nick Norton, Valparaiso’s Ryan Fazekas and Missouri State’s Tulio Da Silva stood out last season after honing their crafts at other D1 institutions.

While there are some stand out freshmen joining the league, and significantly talented junior college players are on the way, it’s the D1 newcomers that have caught our attention.

Trio of Redbirds

Illinois State’s Dan Muller has been on the leading edge of finding players at other college programs. He has both lost and gained players via the transfer route. All league performer Milik Yarbrough and the explosive Matt Chastain both began their careers elsewhere.

This year’s team will depend on three proven players. Two former San Jose State players, Jaycee Hillsman and Keith Fisher III are typical Redbird recruits. They are long, athletic and tough-minded players. Each averaged around ten points per game and sat out last season, learning Muller’s system.

The third ‘amigo’ is former Eastern Kentucky product Dedric Boyd who also becomes eligible this season. He averaged 13 points-per-game during freshman year in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Muller says that trio will provide productivity and leadership. Hillsman and Fisher are both very versatile.

 

 

Valpo Headliners

Eron Gordon and Nick Anderson are the second and third highly rated D1 transfers Matt Lottich has brought to northern Indiana. Fazekas was very productive during his injury-plagued first year. Fazekas’ transition from Providence to Valpo was seemless. The former Friar averaged over 11 points per game.

The latest newcomers from the transfer talent pool come with strong resumes.

Gordon is the younger brother of two former collegiate standouts. His oldest brother Eric has enjoyed a long NBA career. After averaging 24.5 points per game in high school, Gordon was a 4-star recruit signed by Seton Hall. The 6’3 Indianapolis native moved closer to home to play with the Crusaders.

Robinson was a 3-star player coming out of Chicago’s Kenwood Academy. He attended St. Joe’s where he averaged 6.4 points per game for the Atlantic Ten team.

Lottich says his two new recruits will make an immediate impact.

 

 

Bears Stockpiling Transfers

Following Da Silva to Springfield, Missouri are four talented D1 transfers. ESPN rated former West Virginia player Lamont West as this year’s ninth best transfer.

Josh Hall and Tyrik Dixon sat out last season, but both have NCAA tournament experience. Hall was a hero in Nevada’s 2018 Sweet Sixteen team and Dixon was a play-maker for Middle Tennessee’s teams that made back-to-back trips to March Madness.

Dixon was named to Conference USA’s all-freshman team and as a sophomore landed on the league’s all-defensive team while maintaining one of CUSA’s top assist-turnover rate.

Hall averaged 6.9 points for Nevada’s squad that lost to Loyola in that Sweet Sixteen game. He hit the game winning shot in the Wolf Pack’s second round win over Cincinnati.

Dana Ford says Dixon will be his team’s primary ball-handler.

 

 

Evansville’s Game Changers

It’s not often that a player from Kansas ends up in the MVC, but Sam Cunliffe transferred from Lawrence to Evansville and is poised to join Walter McCarty’s revival of Purple Aces basketball.

Cunliffe began his career at Arizona State and was a top-50 player coming out of high school. ESPN called him last season’s 15^th best transfer. The 6’6 wing joins Coastal Carolina transfer Artur Labinowicz as an instant talent upgrade for Evansville. Labinowicz’s sophomore season saw him average over ten points per game.

McCarty says his team will benefit greatly from those two transfers.

 

 

Who Else?

Several players are awaiting eligibility answers from the NCAA and more players are on the way next season.

Among other intriguing players is SIU’s Northwestern center transfer Barrett Benson. The 6’10 pivot was a three-star player coming out Chicago’s Hinsdale High School.

Numerous talented junior college players are on the way too. The increased talent levels in the Valley are fortified by the transfer talent pool.

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