NCAA Basketball: Texas Tech, Kansas State after WVU transfer Joe Toussaint
Joe Toussaint is in the NCAA Basketball transfer portal and is currently down to three options. Who’ll win out this recruiting battle?
The biggest storyline in all of NCAA Basketball this past week was the coaching search at West Virginia after HC Bob Huggins sudden demise with the program. The Mountaineers finally settled on a head coach in long-time assistant Josh Eilert, with the hopes of keeping the roster. That starts with the three players that entered the portal on Friday, including Joe Toussaint.
The former Iowa Hawkeye had his best season to date, averaging 9.4 ppg and 2.6 apg in 22 mpg off the bench. He was set to become the backup guard to Arizona transfer Kerr Kriisa to enter next season before all of this news occurred.
Now, Toussaint is a free agent. And after a number of programs reached out, there seem to be two that are ahead of the pack in Kansas State and Texas Tech, both of whom have gotten visits and are the reported finalists, now that both Alabama and West Virginia aren’t involved anymore. Here’s a closer look at his three options.
Kansas State Wildcats
After landing Tylor Perry, the Wildcats are looking for one more guard to add to the rotation. There’s certainly a need for Toussaint, who has proven that he can play at the Big 12 level. And it would be arguably his largest role yet in his NCAA Basketball career. Plus. he’d be in a winnable battle with Cam Carter as the starting two-guard next season.
Pittsburgh Panthers
A late-emerging threat to the Big 12 schools is Pittsburgh, who has been looking for a veteran ball-handler to add to the backcourt. They’ve also been after both Paul Mulcahy and Jeremiah Williams but seem to have made the most traction with Toussaint. He dropped 18 points on the Panthers last season and could follow the path of big man Federiko Federiko, a former WVU commit a year ago who excelled as the starting big man for Pitt.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
The Red Raiders recently landed wing Devan Cambridge but still has another scholarship available. Sophomore guard Pop Issacs is the definite starting point guard on the team but there’s an open battle at the two-spot. Toussaint could overtake Grand Canyon transfer Chance McMillian or returning guards, Lamar Washington and D’maurian Williams.
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The concern here would be how much offensive potential Toussaint would have in a system under new coach Grant McCasland, which was the slowest in terms of pace last season at North Texas. But with the depth they already have, it also could represent the best chance for him to get back to the NCAA Tournament compared to the other two options.