As sad as it is to say, after monitoring the transfer portal for the past few days, I’m sad to finally admit that college basketball recruiting has evolved into a 2 pronged crap situation for mid majors. You now MUST 1) get guys to improve your roster, AND 2) re-recruit your current guys, in hopes they won’t test the waters and leave. Fortunately, for 7 years, Loyola has been on the top side of this game (Doyle, Custer, Jackson, Clemons, Townes, Norris), with virtually no losses to prong #2 (Cam Satterwhite, we hardly knew ye) but it’s still a shame.

I’ll be ecstatic if Drew hits some home runs in the transfer portal, but we’ve got to be equally proud of Drew for keeping guys like Kennedy and Norris, if that’s how it shakes out.

With the one-time no-sit rule now in effect, it blows my mind that in the next few weeks we could be A-10 champ favorites …. or we could be A-10 bottom feeders, despite all the hard work that’s went into building this program up for 10 years.

If Klintman signed tomorrow, the chances of us getting a more-than-capable center in the portal would go up exponentially, and all of the sudden we have a stellar back court in Norris and Kennedy, solid wings in Thomas and Klintman, and a mid major 6’10” guy that can score 12 to 14+ per game and keep us on top. We have a solid role playing bench with Anderson and Welch (3 and 4 positions), backup center worth 10 minutes in Hutson, and a backup pg in TY, who can give 8 minutes of relief to Norris, which is all we need. That’s not to mention our freshmen and Schwieger. With good scheduling, we’re back in the tourney next year with just 2 additions.

BUT - If tomorrow Norris and/or Kennedy so much as “test the waters” in the transfer portal, we’re not getting anyone decent to come here with that uncertainty, and then there’s a realistic possibility we are fighting for 3 to 4 wins next year against La Salle, Duquesne and St. Joe’s to stay out of the cellar.

My greatest fear is Norris.

I wouldn't be shocked if a big school in need of a point guard is whispering in his ear.

If p6 schools were interested in Norris and vice versa don't you think he would've gone that route after Oakland?

Agreed, don’t think Norris goes anywhere. Kennedy would be one I’d be more worried about but I don’t think any starter is going to go. If anyone is going to transfer I’d see it being more Hutson or TY looking for more playing time. Who knows though, we seem to have a good group of guys that are dialed into the program.

If p6 schools were interested in Norris and vice versa don't you think he would've gone that route after Oakland?