The late Spring brings about the worst in college basketball. It’s transfer season, meaning that players who aren’t happy with their playing time or the new coach search for somewhere else to take their talents. Most try to come back close to their hometown, others look for the best situation to increase their playing time. The number of college basketball players that transfer grows each year, and CBS’s Jeff Goodman has over 400 names on his annual list. That’s close to 10% of all the players in Division 1, which in my opinion is quite startling. A lot of times these kids have someone in their ear telling them where they should go and they don’t choose a school based on where they actually want to go. In all fairness though, these are 18-20 year old kids making probably the biggest decision of their life, so it's understandable why many choose to take a mulligan. Let's take a look at which ex-MAC players are leaving their respective schools and whom we should welcome to the conference.
AkronGoing
Michael Green (PF)-Transferred to Chaminade
Green played sparingly in the early part of this season. He only appeared in four games, and was always the last off of the bench. Chaminade most known for being the host of the EA Sports Maui Invitational, so Green will have a chance to play on ESPN against some great teams next fall. Plus, Hawaii is pretty nice, too.
Central Michigan
Coming
Kyle Randall (PG)-Transferring from UNC-Greensboro
Randall averaged 20.5 minutes and 5.7 points as a junior for the Spartans last year. New Head Coach Keno Davis needed someone to fill the role of departing Austin McBroom, and he found it with a productive point guard. Randall will have one year at Central Michigan after sitting out his transfer year.
Going
Austin McBroom (PG)-Transferred to Saint Louis
McBroom was named to the MAC All-Freshman team this season after averaging 10.9 points per game. The Chippewas leaned on him for scoring when Trey Zeigler couldn’t do it alone, and his 3-point marksmanship will be probably missed the most. McBroom is from North Hollywood, California, so his transfer to Saint Louis is somewhat puzzling. The Billikens lose their starting point guard after next season, so McBroom would be able to step into that role. Saint Louis is a potential top-25 team next season.
Jorddan Myrick (PG)
Myrick hasn’t picked a destination yet, but he is likely to step down a level. He appeared in 15 games last year as McBroom’s backup.
Trey Zeigler (SF)-Transferred to Pittsburgh
We covered this one earlier when it happened, but when Ernie Zeigler was fired the writing on the wall was clear. Zeigler was the Chip’s leading scorer and do-everything playmaker. Davis will sorely miss him, but there was nothing he could do to make the younger Zeigler stay. Trey has a chance to make a name for himself at Pitt and get potential looks from NBA scouts. He’ll have two years to play for the Panthers.
Eastern Michigan
Coming
Mike Talley (PG)-Transferring from Duquesne
Coach Rob Murphy continues his influx of talented transfers with Talley. Talley was one of the many players who left Duquesne after their coach was fired. A Detroit native, Talley was the Dukes’ sixth man and averaged 7.5 points per game. He’ll have two years remaining at Eastern.
Kent State
Going
Patrick Jackson (PF)
Jackson just can’t seem to find the right school. He transferred to Kent State from Rutgers, and is now looking for a new place. Jackson appeared in every single game and played great defense for the Flashes. Two incoming transfers Bryson Pope from Tulsa and Justin Brunswick from Idaho State are eligible to play this season and will take away Jackson’s minutes. He is graduating, so he won’t have to sit out a year.
Robert "Scooter" Johnson (SF)
Johnson is also still considering his options. He only appeared in seven games this season and had minimal impact.
Miami
Going
Brian Sullivan (PG)-Transferred to Davidson
Sullivan was also on the MAC All-Freshman team. Most likely a casualty of the Charlie Coles retirement, Sullivan will be missed by the Redhawks. He was the floor general last season and provided sparks when Julian Mavunga was having an off-game. Sullivan recently committed to Davidson, a Southern Conference contender year-in and year-out. Sullivan will have three more years to play.
Northern Illinois
Coming
Tommie McCune (PF)-Transferring from West Virginia
McCune was a four-star recruit coming out of Saginaw, Michigan and had an impressive scholarship offer list including programs like Baylor, Cincinnati, Missouri, USC, and ultimately West Virginia. As high-rated of a recruit he was, he hardly earned any playing time under Bob Huggins. McCune also ran into some legal troubles, as Huggins suspended him twice: once for shoplifting over the summer and the other during the season for the ever-so-informative undisclosed reasons. If he keeps his nose out of trouble, the Huskies are getting a potential all-MAC player.
Going
Stian Berg (SF)
Berg, a walk-on, played in all but one game this year and started mostly during conference play. Berg is from Norway, where he likely will return. Side note: I wonder if anyone gave him the nickname "Ice"? It’s cheesy but fits nicely. Oh well.
Jeremiah Jackson (PF)
Jackson only made an appearance during a lopsided victory for the opponent. Unfortunately for NIU, that happened a lot. Jackson played in 25 games.
Zach Miller (PG)-Transferred to Hillsdale (MI)
Miller was the consistent starting point guard for the Huskies as a true freshman until going down with a knee injury that caused him to miss twelve games. Miller's decision to transfer is a rather hairy situation. According to this article Miller's father said that the point guard had been "mistreated" and "was no longer trusted" by coach Mark Montgomery. Hillsdale is a Division II school in Michigan, and plays in a league where a few MAC transfers head to. Ex-Kent State point guard Cameron Joyce is currently a junior at Northwood University, also in Michigan.
Ohio
Coming
Kadeem Green (PF)-Transferring from Missouri
Green mainly saw time in blowouts, but being recruited to a prominent basketball school like Missouri shows his innate talent. Presumably, he came to be with John Groce, but seems to be staying put with new head man Jim Christian. At 6’8" 210, he could be a force in the MAC in two years. He will be much needed for the Bobcats, who will lose DJ Cooper, Walter Offutt, Ivo Baltic and Reggie Keely after next season.
Going
TyQuane Goard (SF)-Transferred to Delaware
Goard had some academic issues (allegedly) that forced him out. He didn’t travel with the team during their magic Sweet Sixteen run, and immediately started looking elsewhere. Delaware is a solid CAA school and finished fifth last season. My guess is that once Goard heard that Delaware's mascot was a Fighting Blue Hen, he didn't look at any other schools.
Ethan Jacobs (C)
Jacobs only appeared in thirteen games and was stuck behind frontcourt mates Jon Smith, Reggie Keely, and Ivo Baltic. Standing a 6’10" he would do very well to go to a Division II or III program where he could really dominate with his height.
Toledo
Coming
Justin Drummond (SF)-Transferring from Loyola (Maryland)
Drummond is a huge get for Tod Kowalcyk. As a sophomore, he averaged eleven points and four rebounds per game and helped lead the Greyhounds to the NCAA Tournament. He was the other MAAC’s (Metro Atlantic) sixth man of the year and all-MAAC third team. Kowalcyk looks to be building his program through transfers early on, and this is the type of player he needs to keep getting. Rian Pearson showed he could dominate at times this year, and there’s no reason to believe that Drummond won’t be able to do the same two seasons down the road.
Western Michigan
Going
Matt Stainbrook (PF)-Transferred to Xavier
This is the other high profile transfer in the MAC, and it leaves a big hole in the middle for Steve Hawkins. Stainbrook was the butt of many jokes, but truth be told was a very solid MAC player. The inconsistencies and attitude problems were alarming, but you could see the potential. Hopefully a year of practicing with Kenny Frease will toughen Stainbrook up even more and prepare him for Atlantic-14 (13 now? 12?) play. Shayne Whittington played nicely at center this year for the Broncos, and will likely take over starting duties for Stainbrook. Hawkins is also bringing in a seven, count ‘em, seven-man recruiting class. Of those seven though, only two stand over 6’7.
Other names to look out for:
Walter Pitchford (PF)-Florida
Pitchford is a 6'9 center from Grand Rapids who is looking to come closer to home to be with his ailing grandfather. Central looks to be like a good spot for Pitchford to land, as Western may not have a scholarship to offer him and Eastern may be in the same situation.
Carlton Brundidge (PG)-Michigan
Brundidge was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and was fourth in Michigan's Mr. Basketball voting last year. Brundidge may look to stay close to home, of which Eastern and Central may be possible destinations.
John Hart (PG)-Purdue
Hart already graduated and will be able to play right away. A native of Beech Grove, Indiana, he could provide Ball State a great replacement for the graduating Randy Davis.
Griffin McKenzie (PF)-Xavier
McKenzie, a native of Cincinnati, says that he wants to go to a school with a great blend of academics and athletics. Might I suggest checking out Miami? He didn't play many minutes, but at 6'9 he would be a great pick up for any MAC school.
J.D. Weatherspoon (SF)-Ohio State
Weatherspoon just couldn't find the floor on a talented Buckeye team, and decided to find another school where he could make an impact. He had offers from Akron and Bowling Green coming out of Northland High School in Columbus, and this article mentions that the Falcons are on the short list. BG loses A'uston Calhoun after next season, and Weatherspoon would be a great replacement.