Busting Brackets
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SEC Basketball: Each team’s best acquisition out of 2023 transfer portal

By Jerran Anderson

Nov 10, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; North Dakota State Bison forward Grant Nelson (4) shoots the ball over Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 10, 2022; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; North Dakota State Bison forward Grant Nelson (4) shoots the ball over Kansas Jayhawks forward Jalen Wilson (10) during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /
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Middle Tennessee guard Eli Lawrence SEC Basketball Nas Mtsu Chatt Murphy 50 021
Middle Tennessee guard Eli Lawrence SEC Basketball Nas Mtsu Chatt Murphy 50 021 /

Eli Lawrence – 6’5 Wing/Guard – Texas A&M Aggies

Eli Lawrence joins the Texas A&M Aggies rotation as a graduate transfer with promise heading into 2023-24 after spending four seasons in the Conference USA at Middle Tennessee State. Lawrence is a wiry wing prospect at 6-foot-5 that earned All-Conference USA honors in his final season in a Blue Raiders uniform.

Lawrence climbed up the ranks, so to speak, at Middle Tennessee State, appearing in a total of 120, starting in 70, and securing a full-time starter role from 2021-23. He’s shown he’s quite the marksman on the perimeter as he’s knocked down 157 3-pointers across his career in Conference USA and will look to bring his mid-major experience to Buzz Williams’ gritty style of play.

He turned heads during his freshman season back in 2020 with a career performance against UTSA in an 83-80 victory when he knocked down a career-high seven 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 27 points back on Feb. 1.

He produced 10. 8 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 1.3 spg on 33.1 percent from deep as a junior with Middle Tennessee in 2021-22, starting in 36 of his 37 appearances for the squad. As a senior, he averaged a career-high 12.2 ppg and a career-high 1.4 apg along with 4.1 rpg and 1.1 spg on a career-high 34 percent from 3-point land.

Lawrence earned All-Conference USA second-team honors this past season while dishing out a career-high 44 assists. He’ll look to return to his defensive form of 2021-22, when he ranked 17th in the conference with 96.9 as he joins the SEC.

His best basketball is certainly ahead of him as he joins an Aggies’ squad that went 25-10 and finished second in the SEC in 2022-23 and returns eight players from last season. Lawrence is one of three transfers out of the portal looking to boost their experience this upcoming season.

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