The unofficial online home for fans of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

According to On3, there's already nearly 600 guys in the portal. I'm sure within a week we'll start hearing rumors on who we are targeting. For now, let the speculation begin!

https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire...ball/2024/

No UC in or out of the portal ... at this moment.

(03-27-2024 10:53 AM)The Big O Wrote:  According to On3, there's already nearly 600 guys in the portal. I'm sure within a week we'll start hearing rumors on who we are targeting. For now, let the speculation begin!

https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire...ball/2024/

I'd imagine we go hard after Connor Hickman given the Bradley connection on our staff and a need to get another floor spacer on the wing.

(03-27-2024 01:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 10:53 AM)The Big O Wrote:  According to On3, there's already nearly 600 guys in the portal. I'm sure within a week we'll start hearing rumors on who we are targeting. For now, let the speculation begin!

https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire...ball/2024/

I'd imagine we go hard after Connor Hickman given the Bradley connection on our staff and a need to get another floor spacer on the wing.

Hickman is a Bloomington native and already has an Indiana visit planned, but ya never know.

Another possibility might be NKU's all-time leading scorer Marques Warrick. He has declared for the draft but also entered the portal.

(03-27-2024 12:43 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  No UC in or out of the portal ... at this moment.

I heard UC has offered several players, but I was following the games, not the portal. Sounds like we will know a lot in the next day or 2. Obviously if we offered a big with one yr remaining, Vic and Or Jamille are gone.

(03-27-2024 07:54 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 01:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 10:53 AM)The Big O Wrote:  According to On3, there's already nearly 600 guys in the portal. I'm sure within a week we'll start hearing rumors on who we are targeting. For now, let the speculation begin!

https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire...ball/2024/

I'd imagine we go hard after Connor Hickman given the Bradley connection on our staff and a need to get another floor spacer on the wing.

Hickman is a Bloomington native and already has an Indiana visit planned, but ya never know.

Another possibility might be NKU's all-time leading scorer Marques Warrick. He has declared for the draft but also entered the portal.

I’m leery of getting too many mid-major players on the roster. It seems like, even among the players who improve quite a bit during their time in college, the underlying limitation that scared away the high-major programs early on never really goes away. Plus, all of the improvement that you’re seeing is against lower level completion.

(03-28-2024 07:20 AM)Former Lurker Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 07:54 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 01:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 10:53 AM)The Big O Wrote:  According to On3, there's already nearly 600 guys in the portal. I'm sure within a week we'll start hearing rumors on who we are targeting. For now, let the speculation begin!

https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire...ball/2024/

I'd imagine we go hard after Connor Hickman given the Bradley connection on our staff and a need to get another floor spacer on the wing.

Hickman is a Bloomington native and already has an Indiana visit planned, but ya never know.

Another possibility might be NKU's all-time leading scorer Marques Warrick. He has declared for the draft but also entered the portal.

I’m leery of getting too many mid-major players on the roster. It seems like, even among the players who improve quite a bit during their time in college, the underlying limitation that scared away the high-major programs early on never really goes away. Plus, all of the improvement that you’re seeing is against lower level completion.

I don't think you can swipe with that broad brush against mid major guys.

Rayj Davis fit in pretty well at Baylor coming from Toledo.

Lance Jones came from Illinois St. and he's probably Purdue's best actual basketball player. ...Any nine foot tall dope can just stand there and drop in three foot shots that nobody can block.

(03-28-2024 07:20 AM)Former Lurker Wrote:  I’m leery of getting too many mid-major players on the roster. It seems like, even among the players who improve quite a bit during their time in college, the underlying limitation that scared away the high-major programs early on never really goes away. Plus, all of the improvement that you’re seeing is against lower level completion.

I trust the coaches to target the guys they think can take this team to the next level. Just look at some of the best teams in the country and the guys they got from the portal. Plenty of guys make the jump from a lesser conference to be major impact guys. This year:

Dalton Knect jumped from Northern Colorado

Two years ago Tristen Newton jumped from ECU

Keshon Gilbert jumped from UNLV to Iowa State

Curtis Jones Jumped from Buffalo to Iowa State

Marcus Domask has been Illinois' second best player. He was at Southern Illinois last year.

Alabama's starting guards are an Ohio U transfer (From 2 years ago) and a Hofstra transfer.

I don't think we should get hung up on whether they have been doing it at a high major if we think the guy can hoop.

(03-27-2024 07:54 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 01:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 10:53 AM)The Big O Wrote:  According to On3, there's already nearly 600 guys in the portal. I'm sure within a week we'll start hearing rumors on who we are targeting. For now, let the speculation begin!

https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire...ball/2024/

I'd imagine we go hard after Connor Hickman given the Bradley connection on our staff and a need to get another floor spacer on the wing.

Hickman is a Bloomington native and already has an Indiana visit planned, but ya never know.

Another possibility might be NKU's all-time leading scorer Marques Warrick. He has declared for the draft but also entered the portal.

Bolded, that one could make sense for several reasons. I understand the concern about players translating mid-major success to high major basketball. There is pretty solid evidence that can be done successfully in the right situations and I'll trust Wes and his staff to make the correct call on that.

(03-28-2024 08:37 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 07:54 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 01:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 10:53 AM)The Big O Wrote:  According to On3, there's already nearly 600 guys in the portal. I'm sure within a week we'll start hearing rumors on who we are targeting. For now, let the speculation begin!

https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire...ball/2024/

I'd imagine we go hard after Connor Hickman given the Bradley connection on our staff and a need to get another floor spacer on the wing.

Hickman is a Bloomington native and already has an Indiana visit planned, but ya never know.

Another possibility might be NKU's all-time leading scorer Marques Warrick. He has declared for the draft but also entered the portal.

Bolded, that one could make sense for several reasons. I understand the concern about players translating mid-major success to high major basketball. There is pretty solid evidence that can be done successfully in the right situations and I'll trust Wes and his staff to make the correct call on that.

I'm somewhat skeptical Warrick's game will translate at this level, because he's only an average shooter and not a great physical talent.

There is a big gap between the Horizon and conference like say MVC (where we seem to be targeting Hickman) that I think is relevant when evaluating players.

BUT that doesn't mean someone from a League like the Horizon League can't be a Big 12 player. Dalton Knecht came from the Big Sky, which is a similar level conference to the Horizon. I just don't believe Warrick's game will translate (that doesn't mean I am right) because he's just an average outside shooter, he's small, and he's just a decent passer for the amount he dominates the ball. Those aren't the things I'm looking for in an off guard, particularly when those are numbers against Horizon League Competition and he'd have to produce against Big 12 competition.

I remember the best player on the high school team when I attended Loveland ended up at D2 NKU. He was the best player on a team that included a Miami commit and a Dayton commit. He was an elite scorer at that level, who just had this great understanding of how to use his skills to get points in a variety of ways. But he wasn't nearly the physical talent. That's kind of how I view Warrick, an absolute gamer who finds ways to maximize his physical talent and get points at that level, but would have a lot more trouble if he jumped cause he doesn't really have any elite skills / physical talent.

(03-28-2024 08:37 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 07:54 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 01:20 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(03-27-2024 10:53 AM)The Big O Wrote:  According to On3, there's already nearly 600 guys in the portal. I'm sure within a week we'll start hearing rumors on who we are targeting. For now, let the speculation begin!

https://www.on3.com/transfer-portal/wire...ball/2024/

I'd imagine we go hard after Connor Hickman given the Bradley connection on our staff and a need to get another floor spacer on the wing.

Hickman is a Bloomington native and already has an Indiana visit planned, but ya never know.

Another possibility might be NKU's all-time leading scorer Marques Warrick. He has declared for the draft but also entered the portal.

Bolded, that one could make sense for several reasons. I understand the concern about players translating mid-major success to high major basketball. There is pretty solid evidence that can be done successfully in the right situations and I'll trust Wes and his staff to make the correct call on that.

No thanks on Warrick. I haven't seen him play, but just looking at his stats he's not what we need.

This year he shot 29.8% from 3-point range and 52.4% from 2-point range.

Not great at rebounding or passing (2.5 Rebounds and 2.4 Assists per game with an assist-to-turnover ratio of about 1). The advanced defensive stats on sports-reference.com also say he's the worst defender on NKU's roster.

(03-28-2024 08:47 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  I remember the best player on the high school team when I attended Loveland ended up at D2 NKU. He was the best player on a team that included a Miami commit and a Dayton commit. He was an elite scorer at that level, who just had this great understanding of how to use his skills to get points in a variety of ways. But he wasn't nearly the physical talent.

----brief sidebar-----
As an NKU grad, was this Kevin Schappell? I'm then assuming the Dayton guy was James Cripe? (who also ended up at NKU for a year)
----back to regular scheduled programming-----

(03-28-2024 08:32 AM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 07:20 AM)Former Lurker Wrote:  I’m leery of getting too many mid-major players on the roster. It seems like, even among the players who improve quite a bit during their time in college, the underlying limitation that scared away the high-major programs early on never really goes away. Plus, all of the improvement that you’re seeing is against lower level completion.

I don't think you can swipe with that broad brush against mid major guys.

Rayj Davis fit in pretty well at Baylor coming from Toledo.

Lance Jones came from Illinois St. and he's probably Purdue's best actual basketball player. ...Any nine foot tall dope can just stand there and drop in three foot shots that nobody can block.

Yes. Another example is a kid I'm watching right now for Alabama - starting forward Grant Nelson. He transferred from North Dakota State and has had a solid year for the Crimson Tide. Talent and experience aside, it's also about how a kid fits strengths/role-wise. The style/system of play best conducive for success. The type of coaching he responds to. Etc.

(03-28-2024 09:25 PM)fnz Wrote:  

(03-28-2024 08:47 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  I remember the best player on the high school team when I attended Loveland ended up at D2 NKU. He was the best player on a team that included a Miami commit and a Dayton commit. He was an elite scorer at that level, who just had this great understanding of how to use his skills to get points in a variety of ways. But he wasn't nearly the physical talent.

----brief sidebar-----
As an NKU grad, was this Kevin Schappell? I'm then assuming the Dayton guy was James Cripe? (who also ended up at NKU for a year)
----back to regular scheduled programming-----

Nailed it.

I just read an article on google that said:
Cincinnati has reached out to a trio of transfers in Stanford guard Kanaan Carlyle, Toledo guard Ra'Heim Moss and Iona guard Greg Gordon.

Thoughts?

Hope they can find the next Landers Nolley.

(03-29-2024 05:33 AM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  I just read an article on google that said:
Cincinnati has reached out to a trio of transfers in Stanford guard Kanaan Carlyle, Toledo guard Ra'Heim Moss and Iona guard Greg Gordon.

Thoughts?

Ra'Heim Moss is not Big 12 quality...I've watched him for a few years now. Volume scorer who lacks some of the required athleticism to make a difference on the wing in a conference like the Big 12. I could see him being a 7-8 point a game guy in a P5 league, but he'll be frustrating doing it, especially defensively.

(03-30-2024 04:18 PM)eroc Wrote:  

Anyone know the story with Loeffler? Seems like some weird job hopping.

(03-30-2024 07:09 PM)levydl Wrote:  

(03-30-2024 04:18 PM)eroc Wrote:  

Anyone know the story with Loeffler? Seems like some weird job hopping.

He's taking a d1 head coaching job. I wouldn't read much more into it than that.