How transfers have helped shape the 16 ‘top seeds’
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee revealed its top 16 seeds in a three-weeks-out “bracket preview” this past Saturday. Eleven of the 16 count heavily on players acquired via the transfer portal, and all but one of the 16 has at least one transfer on the roster.
Here’s a closer look.
Alabama
Seed: 1
Number of transfers on roster: 6
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G Mark Sears (from Ohio U. after ’22), G Jahvon Quinerly (from Villanova after ’19), G Nimari Burnett (from Texas Tech after ’21), F Noah Gurley (from Furman after ’21)
The buzz: Sears is Alabama’s No. 2 scorer and steals leader. He has NCAA tourney experience and needs to provide a veteran presence in March. Burnett and Quinerly are coming off ACL surgeries and are complementary scorers. Gurley is a big body whose rebounding is more important than his scoring.
Arizona
Seed: 2
Number of transfers on roster: 4
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: C Oumar Ballo (from Gonzaga after ’21), G Courtney Ramey (from Texas after ’22), G Pelle Larsson (from Utah after ’21), F Cedric Henderson Jr. (from Campbell after ’22)
The buzz: Ballo (14.6 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 39 blocks) is one of the best big men in the nation, and teams with Azuolas Tubelis to give Arizona a devastating 1-2 frontcourt punch. Ramey has been a solid addition at 2-guard and is hitting 41.5 percent of his 3-pointers. (Maybe he should shoot more from beyond the arc: He is shooting just 39.6 percent from the field overall.) Larsson is one of five double-figure scorers for the Wildcats. He’s a solid rebounder and the opposite of Ramey: He should forget about shooting 3s (he’s at just 30.1 percent) and instead focus on mid-range shots. Henderson has been a part-time starter, and provides length on the perimeter and a nice 3-point stroke.
Baylor
Seed: 2
Number of transfers on roster: 4
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G Adam Flagler (from Presbyterian after ’19), C Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua (from UNLV after ’19)
The buzz: Flagler is one-third of the Bears’ oft-lethal starting backcourt. He has had eight 20-point games, averages 15.6 points per game and leads the Bears in assists. Flagler also is shooting 40.0 percent from 3-point range and 84.8 percent from the line. Tchamwa Tchatchoua recently returned from a torn ACL suffered February 12, 2022. He provides a big body, good defensive skills and an inside presence on both ends.
Gonzaga
Seed: 4
Number of transfers on roster: 3
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G Rasir Bolton (from Iowa State after ’21), G Malachi Smith (from Chattanooga after ’22)
The buzz: Bolton is a solid all-around player. He can shoot (40.8 percent from 3-point range), score (11.1 ppg), defend (a steal per game) and pass (third on the team in assists). Smith was the Southern Conference player of the year last season but is strictly a complementary player for the Zags. Still, he may be a bit too unselfish: Smith is shooting 52.1 percent from the floor and 49.3 percent from beyond the arc but is just sixth on the team in field goal attempts and fourth in 3-point attempts. He’s also second on the Zags in steals.
Houston
Seed: 1
Number of transfers on roster: 1
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: F Reggie Chaney (from Arkansas after ’20)
The buzz: Chaney is a down-the-bench big man who adds a physical presence and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around. He has been called for 50 fouls (fifth-most on the team) despite playing just 344 minutes.
Indiana
Seed: 4
Number of transfers on roster: 2
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G Xavier Johnson (from Pitt after ’21), F Miller Kopp (from Northwestern after ’21)
The buzz: Johnson was the starting point guard but suffered a foot injury in Game 11 that required surgery and hasn’t played since; IU still is hoping he will return before the end of the regular season. He was averaging 5.0 assists per game when injured. Kopp has started every game and is IU’s best 3-point shooter (50 makes, 46.3 percent from beyond the arc). He is strictly a perimeter sniper: He averages less than one 2-point field goal per game and has been to the line just 18 times in 27 games.
Iowa State
Seed: 3
Number of transfers on roster: 8
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G Jaren Holmes (from St. Bonaventure after ’22), G Gabe Kalscheur (from Minnesota after ’21), C Osun Osunniyi (from St. Bonaventure after ’21), G Caleb Grill (from UNLV after ’21), F Aljaz Kunc (from Washington State after ’21), F Tre King (from Eastern Kentucky after ’21), C Robert Jones (from Denver after ’21)
The buzz: Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger has done yeoman work in the transfer portal in his two years to quickly rebuild the program. Holmes leads the Cyclones in scoring (13.1 ppg) and is second in assists. Kalscheur is the second-leading scorer (12.3 ppg) and also second in steals; he has good range but an iffy shot. Osunniyi moved to Ames along with Holmes from St. Bonaventure and has given the Cyclones a low-post presence on both ends. Grill has been hampered by back problems of late, but when healthy, he’s a 3-point threat and a surprisingly good rebounder. Kunc has had injury issues, but is the team’s best rebounder and another 3-point threat. King is a former Ohio Valley Conference standout who has battled injuries at Iowa State. He can be an effective scorer around the basket and is extremely physical on defense. Jones is another physical big man; he can score in the low post at times.
Kansas
Seed: 1
Number of transfers on roster: 2
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: F Kevin McCullar (from Texas Tech after ’22)
The buzz: McCullar has added an experienced defensive presence, but has struggled some with his shot. He leads the Jayhawks in steals and is second in rebounding. McCullar also is third on the team in scoring (10.9 ppg), but is shooting just 43.2 percent from the field and 27.5 percent from 3-point range.
Kansas State
Seed: 3
Number of transfers on roster: 8
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: F Keyontae Johnson (from Florida after ’22), G Markquis Nowell (from Arkansas-Little Rock after ’21), G Desi Sills (from Arkansas State after ’22), G Cam Carter (from Mississippi State after ’22), C Abayomi Iyiola (from Hofstra after ’22), F David N’Guessan (from Virginia Tech after ’22), F Ismael Massoud (from Wake Forest after ’21)
The buzz: Johnson and Nowell are as important to K-State’s success as any duo to any team nationally. Johnson is a great player with an upliftng backstory. He is a load to handle in the lane and also can hit the occasional 3-pointer. Johnson leads the Wildcats in scoring (17.6 ppg) and rebounding (7.2 rpg). Nowell is 5-8 and one of the quickest players in the nation. He’s a little too in love with the 3-pointer (he’s making 33.9 percent of his 183 attempts), but is a great distributor (7.6 assists per game), pesky on-ball defender and great from the line (89.1 percent on his team-leading 183 attempts). Sills comes off the bench and provides good defense, good passing and a bit of offense. Carter is a starter who isn’t asked to do much offensively, though he is a solid defender. Iyiola is on his fourth school (Stetson, then Arkansas, then Hofstra and now K-State). He has occasional bursts of offensive prowess. N’Guessan has been a part-time starter who has some offensive skills. Massoud is strictly a bench guy with some 3-point pop.
Marquette
Seed: 4
Number of transfers on roster: 2
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G Tyler Kolek (from George Mason after ’21), F Olivier-Maxence Prosper (from Clemson after ’21).
The buzz: Kolek is one of the best point guards in the nation. He’s averaging 11.7 points, 7.6 assists, 1.7 steals and 32.1 minutes per game; he’s also shooting 80.6 percent from the line. Prosper is a solid scorer (12.7 ppg, second on the team), rebounds well (4.7 rpg, also second) and plays good defense.
Purdue
Seed: 1
Number of transfers on roster: 1
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G David Jenkins Jr. (from Utah after ’22)
The buzz: Jenkins has played in all but one game and averages 15.0 minutes per game, but he’s a limited role player who has scored a total of 97 points in 27 games.
Tennessee
Seed: 3
Number of transfers on roster: 1
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G Tyreke Key (from Indiana State after ’22)
The buzz: Key was a star for Indiana State, where he was a four-year starter who averaged a combined 17.2 ppg and 5.3 rpg. But he missed last season with a shoulder injury and hasn’t regained his form. He has started 15 of the Vols’ 27 games but is shooting just 33.9 percent from the field; that’s almost 14 full percentage points behind what he shot in his career with the Sycamores. Then again, the Vols struggle as a team (42.8 percent overall from the field), so it’s not just Key.
Texas
Seed: 2
Number of transfers on roster: 6
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G Marcus Carr (from Minnesota after ’21), F Timmy Allen (from Utah after ’21), G Sir’Jabari Rice (from New Mexico state after ’22), G Tyrese Hunter (from Iowa State after ’22), F Christian Bishop (from Creighton after ’21), C Dylan Disu (from Vanderbilt after ’21)
The buzz: The Longhorns’ top six scorers are transfers, headed by Carr. He has been steady, scoring in double figures in all but three games, leading the team in assists and steals and shooting 39.1 percent from 3-point range. Allen is the No. 3 scorer, leading rebounder and No. 2 assist man. Rice comes off the bench and is the No. 2 scorer. He is money from the line (86.3 percent) and an effective 3-point shooter (37.7 percent). Hunter has been inconsistent. He’s shooting just 31.9 percent from the 3-point line yet has taken the second-most 3s on the team. And he hasn’t been as effective a distributor as he was with Iowa State, with a higher turnover rate and a lower assist rate. Bishop is the first big man off the bench and does good work on the boards and on defense. Disu’s main value is as a physical defender. He leads Texas in blocks – and in fouls. His foul total (77, with two DQs) is impressive when you consider he averages just 18 minutes per game.
UCLA
Seed: 2
Number of transfers on roster: 0
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: 0
The buzz: Hey, who needs transfers? Not Mick Cronin. Still, last season’s leading scorer (Johnny Zuzang, who began his career at Kentucky) was a transfer.
Virginia
Seed: 3
Number of transfers on roster: 3
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: F Armaan Franklin (from Indiana after ’21), F Jayden Gardner (from East Carolina after ’21), F Ben Vander Plas (from Ohio after ’22)
The buzz: Franklin is the Cavaliers’ leading scorer (12.7 ppg) and is hitting 40 percent from 3-point range. Gardner is the No. 3 scorer (11.1) and leading rebounder (5.2). Vander Plas is a solid role player who rebounds well.
Xavier
Seed: 4
Number of transfers on roster: 3
Key transfers, in rough order of importance: G Souley Boum (from UTEP after ’22), C Jack Nunge (from Iowa after ’21), G Adam Kunkel (from Belmont after ’20)
The buzz: These guys are three-fifths of the Musketeers’ starting lineup. Boum hasn’t missed a beat despite the step up in competition going from Conference USA to the Big East. He rarely comes off the floor (35.0 minutes per game) and leads Xavier in scoring and assists and is second in steals. Nunge (14.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg) is part of a nice 1-2 frontcourt punch with Zach Freemantle. Kunkel’s main selling point is his 3-point ability (39.3 percent), but he’s an underrated distributor.