Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments, and concerns in this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Bryan Kalbrosky.
Now that we’ve reached March Madness, it’s a great time to look at the impact of the transfer portal in NCAA men’s college basketball.
Although it’s undeniable that roster continuity matters when it comes to constructing a championship contender, it’s also imperative for a modern team to successfully manage the portal as well.
Before the season began, we knew that many big names were transferring to new programs. With postseason play right around the corner, though, we can finally see which players have settled in as the best fits in their new homes.
Here are some notable names who made the tournament last season, changed schools and have made the tournament again:
- Shahada Wells (TCU → McNeese State)
- Walter Clayton Jr. (Iona → Florida)
- Max Abmas (Oral Roberts → Texas)
- Keshad Johnson (San Diego State → Arizona)
- Steven Ashworth (Utah State → Creighton)
A few other names that fit this category include Great Osobor (Utah State), Darrion Williams (Texas Tech), Kadin Shedrick (Texas) and DJ Horne (NC State).
Additionally, there are some fascinating players who did not make the tournament last season. These are some transfers who will have a chance to carve their place in history on their new teams in this tournament:
- Dalton Knecht (Northern Colorado → Tennessee)
- Cam Spencer (Rutgers → UConn)
- Caleb Love (North Carolina → Arizona)
- Hunter Dickinson (Michigan → Kansas)
- Harrison Ingram (Stanford → North Carolina)
Other players like this include Tyrese Samuel (Florida), Keshon Gilbert (Iowa State), Isaac Jones (Washington State) and Grant Nelson (Alabama).
It’s an exciting time for these players who can show the world who they’ve become at their new
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Prospects with NBA range
March Madness gives college basketball players an opportunity to turn themselves into legends.
One way that many of these athletes are able to do that is with 3-point shooting and in the modern game, those around the NCAA are continuing to shoot the ball from farther and farther. Both men’s and women’s college basketball players shoot from the international 3-point line, which is 22 feet and 1.75 inches.
We were given access to the database at CBB Analytics, which tracks how many field goals players have made from at least 25 feet away from the basket. For comparison, it is also beyond the NBA distance, which is 23 feet and 9 inches at the top of the key.
This list highlights those who are both regularly (and accurately) shooting from at least more than few feet behind the NCAA’s 3-point line. Here are 20 players in March Madness with incredible shooting range.
Shootaround
— HoopsHype’s aggregate mock draft: Zaccharie Risacher, Nikola Topic, Cody Williams, and Reed Sheppard are rising
— Mics caught LeBron James saying the funniest 6-word NSFW reaction to the Lakers-Warriors malfunctioning shot clock
— The Magic posted (and deleted) a suggestive Gradey Dick jersey swap post-game photo
— Kelly Oubre Jr. reacts to Sixers bringing in Kai Jones on a 10-day
