Big West Basketball: Top 5 rising juniors for 2018-19

LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 24: Tommy Rutherford #42 of the UC Irvine Anteaters looks to pass against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks during the 2017 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational basketball tournament at the Orleans Arena on November 24, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. UC Irvine won 77-71. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

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5. Ron Freeman, Long Beach State

The Long Beach State 49ers hope to strike it big on the transfer market again in 2018-19 after striking it big on Gabe Levin. Levin saw great success in his two seasons at Long Beach State after transferring from Loyola-Marymount and sitting out the 2014-15 season. In this case, incoming guard Ron Freeman won’t have to sit out after arriving from Northwest Florida State (2016-17). He attended Kansas State back in 2015-16 but things didn’t work out after he appeared in just 11 contests.

Freeman is a 6-foot-6 guard with two years of eligibility left. The 49ers hope to use his versatility to his advantage as he’s an athletic guard who can score off the dribble and from behind the arc. He went 42.9 percent from behind the arc during his time there.

He’ll bring yet another dimension to a team that has found tons of success with transfers. Their latest may just put them over the top to win the Big West Conference crown.