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NCAA Basketball: 8 teams that should target Cincinnati transfer Keith Williams

By Tristan Freeman

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JANUARY 08: Keith Williams #2 of the Cincinnati Bearcats on the court in the game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Fifth Third Arena on January 08, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JANUARY 08: Keith Williams #2 of the Cincinnati Bearcats on the court in the game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane at Fifth Third Arena on January 08, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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NCAA Basketball Keith Williams Cincinnati Bearcats (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
NCAA Basketball Keith Williams Cincinnati Bearcats (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

One of the more unexpected entrants to the NCAA Basketball transfer portal is Keith Williams, a four-year player at Cincinnati. The program went through a coaching change this offseason, with UNC Greensboro head coach Wes Miller replacing John Brannen after the team had an underwhelming season overall.

At an individual level though, Williams had his best season statistically. The 6’5 guard averaged a career and team-high 14.3 ppg on 40% shooting from the field. There were some off-shooting bights but the senior had several big performances, including 19 points and 10 rebounds at Central Florida, and a career-high 27 points against Furman.

Williams isn’t an elite shooter, making under 30% from three-point range for his career at Cincy. But while being a double-digit scorer, his size and defensive ability make him a valuable commodity this late in the offseason. He’s a starting-caliber player at the high-major level and is an impact two-way player.

There are plenty of teams that could use Williams but who makes the most sense? Here are eight to potentially keep an eye on.

LSU Tigers

The departure of Seneca Knight opens up some room on the perimeter for another guard to join transfers Xavier Pinson and Adam Miller. With just Alex Fudge on the roster capable of playing small forward, Williams could easily slide in and make it a veteran starting five.

He can provide LSU another double-digit scorer and a proven one at that, while also being able to play at shooting guard and allow the team to use various lineups. He’s an offensive upgrade over Knight so if he did pick the Tigers, this past week would end up being a net positive.

Marquette Golden Eagles

The Eagles landed their likely starting point guard for next season in Darryl Morsell from Maryland, who is the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year. But with star freshman big man Dawson Garcia now gone, the team would be suited to find some scoring production.

In the backcourt currently, Morsell, George Mason transfer Tyler Kolek, Greg Elliott, and four-star freshman Stevie Mitchell make up the projected rotation. Where Williams helps is that he can create his own offense in a way the others listed can’t. Head coach Shaka Smart has utilized three-guard lineups in the past so placing the Cincy transfer at the wing wouldn’t be an issue.

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