The Top 5 Transfers in the Missouri Valley Conference

(St. Louis, MO) – ‘Transfer’ used to be a dirty name in college basketball, now it is as common as ‘junior’ or ‘senior’ and the Missouri Valley Conference has significant transfers that have made a huge mark on the league.

Today we will discuss the top five transfers in the Valley.

# 5 De’Antae McMurray – Drake – Southwestern Illinois

When Drake hit rock bottom, and head coach Ray Giacoletti resigned, one of the first things interim coach Jeff Rutter did was to make sure De’Antae McMurray and Ore Arogundade received more playing time. McMurray’s game picked up and so did the play of the entire Bulldog team. The Alton, Illinois native averages 8.9 points per game and 2.9 assists, while hitting 48 three point shots and collecting 30 steals, but in Valley play his scoring has improved to 10.7 ppg.

Rutter says ‘D-Tae’ does a lot of things well and is a coachable player.

 

 

# 4 Thik Bol – Southern Illinois – Iowa Western

Bol has as many blocked shots (63) as the entire Saluki team had one year ago. He had his best offensive game on Sunday (career high 19 points), but his defensive presence is his biggest asset. As head coach Barry Hinson told “Blue Ribbon Yearbook”, “You cannot attack the basket when he’s near it, without shooting it differently.”

Bol’s fourth double-double Sunday pushed his season scoring average to 9.1 and his rebounding average to 7.1, but it is blocked and altered shots that are his key contributions.

# 3 Ryan Taylor – Evansville – Ohio University

Big things were expected from Taylor and the 6’6 sophomore did not disappoint. Taylor has been solid from long distance (shooting .389 from deep), making 51 threes. He’s averaging 14.9 points per game and is second in the Valley in free throw shooting over all (.859) and first during league play (.897).

The Gary, Indiana native has reached double figures in 23 of the Purple Aces 29 games. Six times he has reached the 20-point mark and collected a season-high 38 points during a December contest with Norfolk State.

# 2 Aundre Jackson – Loyola – McLennan Community College

Jackson has been just what the doctor ordered for a Loyola team that has skill and talent on the wings. Jackson, despite standing just 6’5 has been an inside presence for Porter Moser’s 17-12 Ramblers. Jackson is the MVC’s ninth leading scorer (14.4 points per game) and leads the league, and is fifth nationally in field goal percentage, with an outstanding .682 completion rate.

Jackson started the first part of the season, but has found a rhythm coming off Moser’s bench and the head coach says Jackson has given the Ramblers what they’ve needed.

 

 

# 1 Alize Johnson – Missouri State – Frank Phillips College

Johnson has been amazing. The 6’9 junior is poised to do something no league member has done since 1980. Barring a complete collapse, he will become the first player to lead the league in rebounding AND average double figures while doing it, as a first year player, since Lewis Lloyd of Drake turned the trick during the 1979-80 season.

Johnson’s impact has impressed other Valley coaches. Northern Iowa’s Ben Jacobson says he can’t remember a first-year player ever having so much impact during his first season.

 

 

He shoots the three (he’s made 35 at a .402 clip) and has collected 15 double-doubles, including two games where he scored at least 20 points and grabbed at least 20 rebounds. He has won the Valley ‘Newcomer of the Week’ award five times and is the MVC’s eighth leading scorer (14.5 points per game). For the season he’s collecting 10.7 rebounds per game, but he’s been even better during conference play, cleaning the glass 11.9 times per game. His scoring also improves to 15.6 points.

Head coach Paul Lusk says he knew Johnson would be really good, but he didn’t know he’d be THIS good. The head coach calls him a ‘scrapper’.

 

 

Other Notables

Wichita State’s Darral Willis is averaging over ten points and five rebounds in just 17 minutes per game. Clayton Custer, of Loyola is averaging 11.6 points per game, but has struggled some in league play. Illinois State’s Phil Fayne has started every Redbird game and is scoring 9.6 points and grabbing 6.1 rebounds for the co-leading Redbirds. Jo Jo McGlaston has been a welcome addition to the ‘Baby Braves’ of Bradley, averaging 8.6 points and collecting 3.9 rebounds.

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