The NCAA men’s basketball transfer portal has officially closed.
Over the past 45 days, around 2,000 players have entered the portal, including 72 from the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
While players who are already in the portal can still choose to transfer at any time, here is an overview of the current transfer portal state around the MAC:
Akron
Additions (5): Guard (G) Bowen Hardman (from Ohio State), G Isaiah Gray (from Cornell), Forward (F) Josiah Harris (from West Virginia), G Seth Wilson (from West Virginia), F/Center (C) James Okonkwo (from North Carolina)
Currently in transfer portal (1): F Darrion Baker
Losses (2): F Mikal Dawson (transferred to Marshall), G Ryan Prather Jr. (transferred to Robert Morris)
The Zips are among the few MAC teams with an overwhelmingly positive transfer portal period.
Akron is tied for the fewest transfer portal entries and most additions through the portal in the MAC.
Head coach John Groce has reloaded the Zips through the portal, adding four Power 5 conference players.
Ball State
Additions (3): F Payton Sparks (from Indiana), G Jeremiah Hernandez (from Southern Indiana), G Joey Hart (from Kentucky)
Currently in transfer portal (5): G Trent Middleton Jr., G Micah Bell, G Jalin Anderson, G Joey Brown, G Jack Futa
Losses (3): F Basheer Jihad (transferred to Arizona State), G Quincy Adams (transferred to Western New Mexico), G Davion Bailey (transferred to Incarnate Word)
The Cardinals suffered a significant loss in the transfer portal in the form of Jihad. The junior forward led Ball State with 18.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game last season and was named a Second Team All-MAC selection.
Although Ball State still has five players in the portal, including a top three scorer from last season (Anderson), head coach Michael Lewis added two Power 5 conference transfers (Sparks and Hart).
Sparks, who played at BSU during the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons and was a two-time All-MAC selection, rejoins the Cardinals after playing 24 games at Indiana this past season.
Hart was a finalist for Indiana’s Mr. Basketball award in high school and previously chose to attend Kentucky over offers from Rutgers and the University of Central Florida (UCF). Meanwhile, Hernandez was named a First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection after averaging 17.2 points per game last season.
Bowling Green
Additions (3): F Youssef Khayat (from Michigan), G Javontae Campbell (from Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa), G Braelon Green (from Arizona State), F Marcus Johnson (from Wheeling)
Currently in transfer portal (4): G EJay Greer, G PJ Edwards, G Anthony McComb III, G DJ Smith
Losses (2): F Rashaun Agee (transferred to the University of Southern California (USC)), G Marcus Hill (transferred to North Carolina State (NC State))
The Falcons have suffered major blows via the transfer portal, losing their top two players from last season to Power 5 conference teams.
While BG still has four contributors from last year’s 20-win campaign in the portal, head coach Todd Simon has added four players, two of whom are from the junior college (JUCO) level (Campbell and Johnson), who fit his system and can shoot, which was a glaring issue for the Falcons last season.
Buffalo
Additions (3): G Tyson Dunn (from Western Ontario (U SPORTS)), C Armani Mighty (from Boston College), G/F Noah Batchelor (from Maryland)
Currently in transfer portal (5): G Kanye Jones, F Jonnivius Smith, F James Graham, F Zaakir Williamson, G Shawn Fulcher
Losses (1): F Isaiah Adams (transferred to Toledo)
The Bulls currently have six players in the transfer portal, including a top-three scorer (Fulcher) and their top-rebounder (Smith) from last season.
Buffalo’s only loss in the portal, Adams, averaged 12.8 points per game last season, the second-best mark on the team.
Head coach George Halcovage III has also added three transfers, headlined by Batchelor. Last season, Batchelor reached the NCAA Tournament with the Terrapins and was ranked the 22nd-best small forward prospect in the country out of high school.
Central Michigan
Additions (2): F Jakobi Heady (from Bethune-Cookman), F Quentin Heady (from South Suburban College)
Currently in transfer portal (10): G Derrick Butler, G/F Aidan Rubio, G Paul McMillan IV, G Noah Adamczyk, F Jemal Davis, G Max Majerle, G Anthony Pritchard, F Josiah Sanders, F/C KJ Oduor, G Bryce Eaton
Losses (1): F Markus Harding (transferred to Indiana State)
Although CMU experienced its most successful campaign since the 2018-2019 season, Central Michigan’s roster for next season has been left in limbo. The Chippewas are tied for the most transfer portal entries in the MAC.
Even though 11 CMU players have entered the portal, the most of any MAC team and nearly 70% of their roster from last season, Central Michigan has only lost Harding.
However, it has not been all bad for the Chippewas. Tony Barbee, the reigning MAC Coach of the Year, added a brother duo through the portal: the Heady’s.
Eastern Michigan
Additions (3): G Christian Henry (from Panola College), G Jalen Terry (from DePaul), F Da’Sean Nelson (from DePaul)
Currently in transfer portal (10): G Julius Ellerbe, G John McGriff, F Derik Pranger, G Tyson Acuff, F Connor Serven, G Andrew Wells, F Javantae Randall, F Cyril Martynov, F Legend Geeter, G Orlando Lovejoy
Losses (0)
Like Central Michigan, the Eagles roster for next season has been blurred, with 10 players entering the transfer portal, the second most in the MAC. On the bright side, they are one of just two teams in the conference who have not lost a player through the portal.
Their 10 portal entries are headlined by Acuff, who led the MAC and ranked seventh in the country with 21.7 points per game last season.
However, head coach Stan Heath has added two players from the Big East Conference (Terry and Nelson).
Kent State
Additions (3): G Cian Medley (from Saint Louis), G Marquis Barnett (from Presbyterian), G Jamal Sumlin (from Northwest Florida State)
Currently in transfer portal (2): G Reggie Bass, G Tyem Freeman
Losses (3): Jalen Sullinger (transferred to Furman), F Julius Rollins (transferred to Western Illinois), G LA Hayes (transferred to Frank Phillips College)
Kent State has suffered three losses through the transfer portal, headlined by Sullinger. The junior guard, named MAC Sixth Man of the Year two seasons ago, led the Golden Flashes with 15.4 points per game and was named a Third Team All-MAC selection this past season.
Redshirt junior forward VonCameron Davis entered his name into the transfer portal; however, he is the only MAC player to withdraw from it.
Head coach Rob Senderoff has added three transfers, headlined by Barnett and Sumlin. Barnett was named to the Big South Conference All-Freshman Team two seasons ago, while Sumlin was named Panhandle Conference Co-Player of the Year this past season.
Miami (OH)
Additions (2): G Kam Craft (from Xavier), F Antwone Woolfolk (from Rutgers)
Currently in transfer portal (2): G Ryan Mabrey, G Julian Lewis
Losses (1): Jaquel Morris (transferred to Saint Peter’s)
Unlike many other MAC teams, Miami (OH) has had a relatively quiet transfer portal period.
Although the RedHawks lost one of their defensive players in Morris and currently have two players in the portal, head coach Travis Steele has quietly added two transfers from well-known programs.
Northern Illinois
Additions (5): G Dom Gooden (from Hillsborough Community College), G Joe Munden Jr. (from Farleigh Dickinson), G Quentin Jones (from California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)), C Jordan Gorecki (from Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa), G James Dent Jr. (from Western Illinois)
Currently in transfer portal (3): G Zarique Nutter, G Will Lovings-Watts, G David Coit
Losses (4): F Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Penn State), F Xavier Amos (Wisconsin), G Keshawn Williams (Colorado State), G Zion Russell (transferred to Niagara)
The Huskies have felt the impact of the transfer portal, both good and bad.
Four of NIU’s top-five scorers (Coit, Nutter, Amos, Konan Niederhauser) from last season have either transferred or are currently in the portal.
However, Northern Illinois head coach Rashon Burno has been highly active, adding five transfers, tied for the most in the MAC.
Ohio
Additions (2): F/C Victor Searls (from Ashland), G Jackson Paveletzki (from Iowa State)
Currently in transfer portal (3): G Quinn Corna, F IJ Ezuma, F Ike Cornish
Losses (0)
Ohio is one of the few MAC teams that have not made many headlines this transfer portal period.
However, that is not always bad, as the Bobcats are one of just two teams in the conference who have not lost a player through the portal.
Head coach Jeff Boals landed a Power 5 conference transfer with Paveletzki, named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year two seasons ago at Wofford.
Toledo
Additions (3): F Colin O’Rourke (from Wisconsin-Parkside), F Isaiah Adams (from Buffalo), G Seth Hubbard (from Western Michigan)
Currently in transfer portal (2): F Ben Wight, G Marko Maletic
Losses (3): G Dante Maddox Jr. (transferred to Xavier), G Ra’Heim Moss (transferred to Oregon), G Tyler Cochran (transferred to Oregon State)
Toledo has undoubtedly felt the effects of the transfer portal, losing their top three scorers from last season.
However, head coach Tod Kowalczyk has been active, adding two transfers from within the conference, headlined by Hubbard, who was named to the All-MAC Freshman team two seasons ago.
Western Michigan
Additions (0)
Currently in transfer portal (2): G B. Artis White, C Javonte Brown
Losses (2): G Seth Hubbard (transferred to Toledo), G Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro (transferred to Valparaiso)
The Broncos have felt the impact of the transfer portal, losing Hubbard, their leading scorer last season, to intra-conference foe Toledo.
White, who was WMU’s second-best scorer and All-MAC Honorable Mention selection last season, is also in the portal.
Western Michigan is the only MAC team that has not added a transfer.
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