NCAA Basketball: Biggest winners of the early 2020 offseason

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - JANUARY 15: Detail view of a basketball goes through the basketball net during warmups before a game between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Vanderbilt Commodores at Bud Walton Arena on January 15, 2020 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

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BUFFALO, NY – JANUARY 31: Turner of the Falcons drives. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /

Bowling Green Falcons

Mid-major programs do not often emerge from an offseason as “winners” because it is their best players that are usually the ones moving up to the high-major ranks. In the case of Bowling Green, that figured to the case early on as star guard Justin Turner announced his intentions to test the graduate transfer market this spring.

Despite receiving attention from a ton of high-majors and including the likes of Marquette, Missouri, and Iowa State in his final list, Turner made the decision to return to Bowling Green for his final year. This was a surprise to many but also significantly raises the Falcons’ hopes for this coming campaign.

Turner’s decision was absolutely huge news for the Falcons as he will reprise his role as one of the nation’s top mid-major performers. Not many top transfer talents make the decision to pass on high-majors to remain with their former school and that is what makes BGSU one of the biggest winners of the offseason. With Turner back in the fold, the Falcons could make some serious noise in the MAC next year.

Bowling Green is fresh off a season in which it finished 21-10 (12-6 MAC East) and will be returning the majority of its key players. Turner himself was the team’s leader as he posted averages of 18.8 points (427/.361/.851), 4.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game across 25 contests. He was named to the First Team All-MAC for the second consecutive season.

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