I actually think Welch is an ideal mismatch guy moving forward; he was forced to focus more on his post skills early in the year because of Agunnane's hand injury, and I doubt that was the original plan... I remember hearing on a radio interview that Tate really improved his ball handling during his redshirt year, so hopefully they develop for Welch as well. I really liked how he was coming along down the stretch. I'm all on board for adding another wing though. I think Jeremiah Williams would be perfect, but I also like the idea of a transfer.

As for Pipkins, he seemed like a really good teammate, just a bad fit basketball wise. I remember being a bit worried when he committed because while his scoring stats looked good (22 ppg), his efficiency numbers weren't that great. The way we run our offense you need to hit at a high rate, and Pipkins was 46% from the field and 35% from 3. He was more of a volume scorer. In fairness he was carrying a pretty bad Paris team and I think he was their only D1 player... But unfortunately it translated to 39% from the field and 29% from three in the MVC (he was also at 39% as a freshman at Cal State Northridge).

I think in another system where he has the ball more and is able to find his groove he could do some really nice things. Look at Darrell Brown, he averaged almost 16 a game on an AWFUL 35.6% shooting (in fact he never shot over 39% from the field in all 4 years). But Brown also had the ball way more than any of our guys ever will. We simply just had too much depth at guard this year to really give anyone the keys like that though.

Best of luck to him in the future!!

looks like SIU got their center even though he is listed as pF...lots going on MSU adding tons of new players....still do not think their business model will work..also assuming the 7ft Center transfer t MSU will need to sit a year
4/9/2020 - Evansville 2019 PG Marcus Henderson (6-2, -, 2★) will be transferring to Flagler.
4/8/2020 - Missouri State JUCO SF Keaton Hervey (6-7, 187, 3★) committed to Missouri State.
4/8/2020 - Drake JUCO SF Keaton Hervey (6-7, 187, 3★) committed to Missouri State.
4/8/2020 - Missouri State 2020 SG Raphe Ayres (6-5, 195, 2★) committed to Missouri State.
4/8/2020 - Illinois State JUCO PG Mardrez McBride (6-3, 175, 2★) committed to North Texas. - Per Link
4/8/2020 - Missouri State 2018 C Dawson Carper (7-0, 250, 2★) is transfering to Missouri State from Hawaii.
4/8/2020 - Loyola Chicago JUCO SG Jalon Pipkins (6-4, 180, 2★) will be transferring.
4/8/2020 - Southern Illinois 2016 PG Aaron Cook (6-2, 185, 2★) will be transferring to Gonzaga.
4/7/2020 - Illinois State 2020 SF Jabari Walker (6-8, 190, 2★) committed to Colorado.
4/6/2020 - Southern Illinois JUCO PF JD Muila (6-8, 240, 2★) committed to Southern Illinois.
4/6/2020 - Bradley 2020 SG D'maurian Williams (6-5, 190, 2★) committed to Gardner–Webb.
4/6/2020 - Bradley 2020 PG Norance Berry (6-4, 188, 2★) committed to Toledo.
4/5/2020 - Evansville 2020 PF Johnathan DeJurnett (6-7, 205, 2★) committed to Purdue Fort Wayne.
4/5/2020 - Southern Illinois JUCO PG Malik Zachery (6-2, 180, 3★) | Position Rank: 51 has trimmed his list, and removed Southern Illinois from consideration.

SIU's probably looking for at least 1 more post player too, and they still have like 4 or 5 scholarships to fill. Also, their new center must be one hell of a defender because he does not look like a threat on offense. Averaged less than 6 points per game plus a free throw percentage of 25.7%!! We still might be bad from the line next year, but it's nice to know that there's a chance another team will be worse.

Totally agree. I'm not sure whether the mid-majors are bleeding players through the transfer process or not. Has anyone published statistics on the origin-destination of transfers? Verbal Commits list 714 in the transfer portal right now and most of them haven't landed anywhere yet. Of those who have landed, most are lateral transfers. Looks like about 25 are transfers into the 75 P5+BE schools so far. I wonder how these numbers have ended up in past years.

The number of transfers are more and more common just as a cultural thing. Kids aren't even playing at one high school during their 4 years. Moreover, most of the transfers are probably due to wanting to find greener pastures. This quite frankly explains most of the transfers during the PM era.

I think the larger problem is those 25 transfers (and there will quite frankly be a few more before this is all said and done) account for so much production to their MM teams. Maurice Kirby transferring somewhat laterally (mid-major to mid-major) is like most transfers, but as good of a kid as he was, it was not a loss to the program. Had Milton Doyle used the grad transfer to go to a P5 school, it's a much bigger problem for us.

Heck, even our hands aren't completely clean in this regard. Marques Townes obviously had a great Loyola career, but had he stayed at Fairleigh Dickinson (which is probably as much if not more of a step down from us as we are from the P5), they would have named the court after him. Townes transferring was a massive blow to their program.

In brighter transfer news though, Loyola Marymount's 7'3 center is taking his name out of the transfer portal after fielding interest from many high majors. Nice to see.

Action in the Valley the last two days....a 3 star to MSU and a 3 star to UNI
4/16/2020 - Evansville 2016 SF Jax Levitch (6-7, 210, 2★) signed with Evansville.
4/16/2020 - Evansville JUCO PG Emmette Page (6-2, 180, 2★) signed with Evansville.
4/16/2020 - Southern Illinois JUCO PF JD Muila (6-8, 240, 2★) signed with Southern Illinois.
4/16/2020 - Missouri State 2016 SF Josh Hall (6-7, 213, 3.3★) | Overall Rank: 110 | Position Rank: 52 will be transferring to Cal State Fullerton.
4/16/2020 - Illinois State JUCO PF Dusan Mahorčič (6-10, 230, 2★) committed to Illinois State.
4/15/2020 - Northern Iowa 2017 SF Goanar Mar (6-7, 214, 3★) | Position Rank: 32 signed with Northern Iowa. - Per UNI MBB
4/15/2020 - Southern Illinois JUCO PG Malik Zachery (6-2, 180, 3★) | Position Rank: 51 committed to Buffalo.
4/15/2020 - Bradley 2020 SG Jayson Kent (6-7, 183, 2★) signed with Bradley.
4/15/2020 - Missouri State 2020 SF Justin Amadi (6-7, 210, 2★) committed to James Madison.
4/15/2020 - Bradley 2020 SG Jahmyl Telfort (6-7, -, 2★) committed to Northeastern

DeAndre Williams transferring from Evansville. That's too bad. With him, they may be a 5 or 6 win Valley team. Without him, they may go 0-18 again.

Ugh.

_________________
MBB Scholarship Chart

lots more action in the Valley...man it seems like we are becoming a JUCO and transfer league...do not know what to think about it...Thoughts?
Bradley signed a transfer point guard from Massachusettes....who averaged almost 5 assists a game....I am thinking he will have to sit a year? course if we do not play next season will that count as your one sit transfer year?
4/20/2020 - Evansville 2018 PF DeAndre Williams (6-9, 195, 2.7★) | Position Rank: 39 will be transferring. - Per Corey Evans, Rivals
4/19/2020 - Southern Illinois 2016 PF Anthony D'Avanzo (6-8, 205, 2★) is transfering to Southern Illinois from Lewis.
4/19/2020 - Illinois State JUCO PF Dusan Mahorčič (6-10, 230, 2★) signed with Illinois State.
4/19/2020 - Illinois State JUCO PF Alex Kotov (6-10, 215, 2★) signed with Illinois State. - Per Link
4/19/2020 - Indiana State JUCO PF Ndongo Ndaw (6-8, 205, 2★) signed with Indiana State.
4/19/2020 - Indiana State JUCO SG Randy Miller, Jr. (6-2, 190, 2★) signed with Indiana State.
4/19/2020 - Indiana State JUCO PG Tobias Howard (6-2, 195, 2★) signed with Indiana State.
4/19/2020 - Drake 2020 SF Bryceson Burns (6-6, 190, 2★) signed with Drake.
4/19/2020 - Bradley 2019 PG Sean East (6-3, 185, 2★) signed with Bradley.
4/19/2020 - Evansville 2020 PF Trey Hall (6-7, 200, 2★) signed with Evansville.
4/18/2020 - Drake 2017 SF Antonio Pilipović (6-7, 228, 2★) will be transferring to High Point.
4/18/2020 - Bradley 2020 PG Terell Strickland (6-0, 170, 2★) committed to James Madison.
4/18/2020 - Missouri State 2020 SF Dillon Jones (6-5, 190, 2★) committed to Weber State.
4/18/2020 - Southern Illinois 2019 SG Steven Verplancken, Jr. (6-4, 200, 2★) signed with Southern Illinois.
4/18/2020 - Evansville JUCO PF Iyen Enaruna (6-9, 210, 2★) committed to Evansville.
4/17/2020 - Drake 2018 C Darnell Brodie (6-9, 265, 2★) is transfering to Drake from Seton Hall.
4/17/2020 - Southern Illinois 2020 PG Kellen Tynes (6-3, -, 2★) committed to Montana State.
4/17/2020 - Illinois State 2020 SG A.J. Staton (6-5, 190, 2★) committed to Samford.
4/17/2020 - Southern Illinois 2020 SG A.J. Staton (6-5, 190, 2★) committed to Samford.

Jared Jones...a 6'9 center/Power forward from Northwestern just entered the transfer portal...I saw him play a couple of times...very athletic,,high motor.....would be a great fit...at LU...one year to study under Krut and then take over......I also think he is a lefty......would be a great fit athletically and academically....