NCAA Basketball: Top 10 sit-out transfers heading into 2019-20
By Alex Weber
8. Dachon Burke, 6’4 Guard (Robert Morris > Nebraska)
Guess what? Another average-sized, average-shooting guard from a smaller school. A whole bunch of Average Joe’s. Where’s Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller? Let’s film a sequel, starring Dachon Burke, Kameron McGusty, and James Scott. That’s going straight to Putlocker.com if you’re familiar with their services.
Either way, Burke steps into a situation where he will be immediately expected to step in and lead a Big Ten club. I would say those are some lofty expectations for someone coming from a program’s whose signature moment is an NIT victory over the worst Kentucky team of the decade; however, with the mass departure of last year’s team and a brand new big-name head coach in Fred Hoiberg, Husker fans will cut the program some slack in 2020.
Burke, just a junior, essentially gets a mulligan in his first year with Nebraska and will undergo development into perhaps a potential All-Big Ten selection during his senior year, where the Cornhuskers should feature as one of the conferences elite squads.
His 17-2-5 numbers suggest he’ll start at point guard next season, providing scoring, playmaking, and a veteran presence–all vital needs for Hoiberg next season.
7. Denzel Mahoney, 6’5 Guard (SE Missouri St. > Creighton)
The goggled Mahoney is nearly a 20-per-game scorer from the Ohio Valley Conference and will be an impact player for Creighton and Greg McDermott in 2020. His game is very translatable as he heavily relies on jump-shots rather than punking smaller weaker defenders in the OVC, and he shot 41% from deep in 2018 on five attempts per game. This kid can score, and he will no matter the stage. At 6’5 with bouncy athleticism, Mahoney can score against size and defend all three guard spots if necessary.
Big East teams could always use an extra shooter given the Rockets-resemblant system Jay Wright is running at Villanova, and Mahoney brings just that. And though he was Southeast Missouri State’s primary scorer, he appears more than capable of adapting to a smaller, more complementary role within the Creighton Offense. His addition is massive and should help the Blue Jays return to Big East contention and secure a spot in the 2020 NCAA Tournament.