NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing the top 4 teams for MEAC POY transfer guard Blake Harper

There were a number of quality freshmen in all of college basketball this season. That includes the mid-major ranks, as the MEAC Player of the Year happened to be a first-year player in Blake Harper, a 6’5 guard from Washington, DC.

This past season, Harper led Howard with 19.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, and 3.4 apg, shooting 45% from the field and 40% from three-point range. That included a season-high performance of 35 points against Hampton in overtime.

Harper’s recruitment seems to have taken the next step, with four teams reportedly in the mix, including a possible return to Howard. Here’s a closer look at how he’d fit with each option.

Creighton

Under Coach Greg McDermott, the Bluejays are consistently one of the best offensive units in college basketball. Iowa transfers Josh Dix and Owen Freeman, along with incoming wings Miami transfer Austin Swartz and former NC State commit Hudson Greer, will keep it that way. Assuming Fedor Zugic has a breakout campaign, it could be hard for him to find minutes on the wings, so that’s something to watch.

Howard

If Harper were to return to Howard, he’s easily the best player in the MEAC again. The team finished 4th in the standings and lost in the conference tournament first round. The Bison will have lost almost all of its rotation pieces, though Bryce Harris and Dom Campbell should be back after dealing with injuries. If the crop of high-major options isn’t good enough, returning for year 2 could make sense.

LSU

The Tigers have landed several high-scoring mid-major transfers already, including Marquel Sutton (Omaha), Dedan Thomas (UNLV), Max McKinnon (Portland), and Rashad King (Northeastern). Yet there’s still room for Harper on the perimeter. It’s a rebuilding situation with few proven high-major players on the roster, so the MEAC POY guard would be in the same situation as the other transfers. The key question is whether Harper can jump from the MEAC to the SEC in one year to be part of the rotation.

Ohio State

The Buckeyes have lost a few players to the portal, but Bruce Thornton is the most important guy back. He and John Mobley Jr. will be the starting backcourt, with the three-spot being more open and Micah Parrish gone. Even with the addition of Indiana transfer Gabe Cupps, there’s plenty of room for Harper to join and be part of the rotation. Of the three other options, this one may be the safest.