NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Ranking the 12 teams in play for Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi

6. Mississippi State Bulldogs

We’re at the top half of the list where I think the teams most likely to make the NCAA Tournament, naturally making them more appealing options on paper. That includes Mississippi State, who returns star freshman Josh Hubbard, along with the addition of Kanye Clary, a transfer from Penn State.

The backcourt is set for the Bulldogs but the frontcourt is a much bigger question since both Tolu Smith and Jimmy Bell Jr. are now gone. On one hand, Omoruyi would be the focal point inside a team/system that’s similar to the one he was at with Rutgers. But would he want to do that again for a mid-tier SEC program?

5. UCLA Bruins

Coach Mick Cronin has been busy with the transfer portal, landing three guys so far. That includes guards Skyy Clark and Kobe Johnson, along with former OK State forward, Eric Dailey Jr. That leaves center as the key position of need for the program, with starter Adem Bona having entered the NBA Draft.

A case can be made that Omoruyi is a slight upgrade over Bona inside, and would have a better supporting cast around him this time around. Of course, there’s no telling what this new-look roster would look like, and as last season showed, the fit might not work out. And with them being across the country, LA might not be as appealing for this transfer.