3. Southern Illinois – Newton and other transfers pour into Carbondale
Bryan Mullins is tired of having the youngest team in the Valley. The fifth-year head coach went to the portal to fill needs and to get older. Former Evansville guard Jawaun Newton (12.7 ppg) moves within the conference to join the Saluki backcourt. After watching St. Peters make their Sweet Sixteen run, SIU saw the value of power forward Clarence Rupert. While averaging just 4.4 points Rupert is an efficient player and a proven winner.
Cade Hornecker is a three-star center from Texas. He’s ranked 217th in the nation and is Texas’ 18th-ranked player. The 6’11 freshman can step outside and protect the rim. He should be a unique Missouri Valley Conference talent.
Point guard Terrance Jacobs Junior is the 18th-ranked player in the State of Tennessee.
2. Murray State – The Racers have transformed an emptied roster
Returning to coach Murray State, Steve Prohm didn’t miss a beat. When virtually every player from the previous season’s roster departed, Prohm faced a monumental challenge. Prohm over achieved. Prohm hit homeruns in both the transfer portal and on the prep scene.
His high school players have unparalleled credentials. Five different incoming freshmen rank in the top ten in their respective state’s rankings. Jaxon Edwards (Indiana), Patrick Chew (Arizona), and 6’9 Sam Murray (Mississippi) were noted as the second-best players in their respective states. Justin Morgan (6th in Tennessee) and Braxton Stacker (8th in Missouri) join that highly-rated group.
Prohm’s transfers are solid too. Murray landed two former opposing players in Tennessee Tech’s Kenny White (10.2 ppg and 40% from deep) and Belmont’s JaCobi Wood (6.3 ppg). Former Stetson guard Patrick Chew brings 15.9 point 5.7 rebound averages with him to the Racer program.
While Quincy Anderson and Jamari Smith were prolific D2 performers, Brian Moore was tearing up the junior college world at Northeast Oklahoma where he averaged over 21 points per game and was named a JUCO All-American. Jucorecruiting.com calls Moore the nation’s 19th best JC recruit.
1. Missouri State – This seems to be an annual thing
Bears’ coach Dana Ford knows how to recruit at a very high level. MSU loYst several players, including the Valley’s top scoring threat in Isiaih Mosley, but Ford’s squad won’t miss a beat with this recruiting class.
Incoming freshmen Damien Mayo and NJ Benson should be impact players. Mayo is a 6’2, three-star guard from Link Academy (Branson, MO) and Benson is the top-rated high school center in the State of Illinois. The 6’8 Benson was the Chicago Sun Times Player of the year.
Ford loaded up on Division 1 transfers. Four came from power conference schools where they saw limited playing time after stellar prep careers and two come from mid-majors that were NCAA Tournament caliber teams.
Arkansas transfer Chance Moore was a four-star recruit from the State of Georgia that played just five games for the Hogs’ Elite Eight squad, while 6’8 forward James Graham was a three-star recruit from Wisconsin that played just one game at Maryland.
Alston Mason (Oklahoma) and Dalen Ridgnal (Georgia) saw limited playing time for their power conference schools. Matthew Lee played a huge role in St. Peters’ Sweet Sixteen experience. The 6’ guard was the steadying influence on that Peacock squad that shocked the nation.
Colorado State was a tournament team and Kendle Moore averaged 6.5 points for the Rams. Jonathan Mogbo played with Murray State’s Brian Moore at NE Oklahoma and is ranked as the nation’s 31st best junior college player.
Players with March Madness success under their belt, high school all-stars, and players with power conference experience fill the Bears’ roster. Their incoming class is the best in the Valley.