With the transfer portal opening on Tuesday, April 7, Nebraska men\u2019s basketball can start pursuing potential roster additions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Huskers lost three starters to graduation from their historic Sweet 16 season: guards Sam Hoiberg and Jamarques Lawrence and forward Rienk Mast. On Wednesday, April 8, Nebraska unexpectedly lost starting forward Berke B\u00fcy\u00fcktuncel to the transfer portal. There\u2019s no outright replacing the production lost from Nebraska\u2019s four starters, but the portal is the place to start.<\/p>\n
Last season\u2019s transfer class included forward Pryce Sandfort, who led the team with 18 points per game.<\/p>\n
Here are some names who could be a good fit in the system, have ties to the program or have been mentioned in portal talks that Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg could pursue to fill out the roster.<\/p>\n
Colorado forward Bangot Dak<\/p>\n
B\u00fcy\u00fcktuncel’s surprise departure shows that anything is possible in this era of college basketball, and that includes Nebraska landing Dak. A Lincoln native, Dak is a graduate of Southeast High School and was a highlight machine at Colorado. Entering the college ranks, Colorado was the only Power Four program that offered Dak. He averaged 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds last season, starting 30 games for the Buffaloes. The 7-foot, 180-pound forward blocked 1.6 shots per game this past season. Dak was a two-way anchor down low for Colorado and could be the same for the Huskers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
North Dakota State forward Treyson Anderson<\/p>\n
Anderson is another big man from Lincoln who left the state to play at the next level after high school. Joining North Dakota State, Anderson averaged 10.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and helped the Bison to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Anderson knocked down 38 3-pointers at a 35.6% clip last season and averaged nearly a block a game. Similar to Dak, Anderson could step in as an anchor on both the offensive and defensive ends, especially with the losses to the program.<\/p>\n
Colgate guard Jalen Cox<\/p>\n
Cox played in 31 games last season and averaged 17.9 points per game, but also added just over five rebounds and assists each contest. On top of that, Cox shot the ball at a 36.5% clip and averaged 1.7 steals per game. His ability to knock down the three, but also distribute the ball and grab rebounds, makes him an interesting fit for the scheme. Hoiberg averaged five rebounds and four assists last season, putting Cox in the same statistical area. Lawrence\u2019s career shooting percentage was just below 37%, but came at a lower volume than Cox shot at Colgate last season.<\/p>\n
Toledo guard Sonny Wilson<\/p>\n
Wilson and Cox have very similar stat lines. Wilson averaged 17 points per game, 3.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists at a 37.8 three-point percentage. Last season, Wilson led the Rockets to a MAC Conference Championship appearance, averaging 36 minutes per game. Like Cox, Wilson has playmaking and scoring ability that would fit with Nebraska, and with two starting guards leaving, the Huskers could use all the help they can get at the position.<\/p>\n
Utah Valley guard Trevan Leonhardt<\/p>\n
Defense. Height. Scoring. Playmaking. Leondhart brought all of that and more to the table at Utah Valley last season. Listed at 6-foot-4, he averaged nearly 12 points per game, five assists, four rebounds and two steals. Following the Wolverines\u2019 loss to George Washington in the NIT, head coach Todd Phillips described him as a \u201cwarrior.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe does everything for us: scoring, rebounding, passing. He just fills up the stat sheet,\u201d Phillips said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The tall guard would be a great defensive presence on the roster, as well as factoring in heavily on the offensive side of the ball. Compared to Hoiberg\u2019s nine points, five rebounds and four assists, on top of his defensive prowess, Leonhardt could be a very similar fit in the lineup.<\/p>\n
Central Missouri guard Lazerek Houston<\/p>\n
Houston was one of the top scorers at the D2 level last season. He averaged 20 points, five assists and four rebounds during his freshman campaign. He made 78 three-pointers last season at a 37% clip and averaged over a steal a game. A Lincoln native, Houston competed against current Nebraska forward Braden Frager at both Lincoln North Star High School and Lincoln Northeast High School. Houston knows how to put the ball in the hoop, and the high-volume guard would be an intriguing fit in coach Hoiberg\u2019s lineup.<\/p>\n
St. Thomas guard Nick Janowski\u00a0<\/p>\n
Anything is possible in the portal era. The former Husker\u2019s name is currently in the portal, and would fit the Lawrence archetype of leaving Lincoln for a season before coming back. In his season at St. Thomas, he averaged 16 points, five rebounds and two assists. Janowski took a redshirt year during his freshman campaign at Nebraska.<\/p>\n
Troy forward Thomas Dowd<\/p>\n
The name should sound familiar to Nebraska fans, as Dowd faced off against the Huskers as a member of the Trojans in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. New Troy coach Adam Howard is a former Fred Hoiberg assistant coach, and Dowd saw the Nebraska program firsthand in March. While his performance was a bit rocky on the offensive end, going 1-for-11 from the field, the 6-foot-8 forward grabbed nine boards. Through the season, Dowd averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds, and after Buyuktuncel\u2019s departure, Nebraska could use all the frontcourt help it could get.<\/p>\n
Boise State forward Drew Fielder<\/p>\n
Fielder is a possibility for Nebraska, and the 6-foot-11 forward averaged 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game at Boise State last year. The forward also made 38 3-pointers at a 41 % shooting percentage. Fielder did all of that while playing 23 minutes per game. Without Mast, who averaged 13.3 points and 5.8 rebounds, Fielder would fit the need for a scoring big in Hoiberg\u2019s offense.<\/p>\n
Belmont forward Sam Orme<\/p>\n
Just like Mast, Orme is a big man who can shoot the ball and even get involved with playmaking. Averaging 12.7 points, five rebounds and 1.8 assists, Orme knocked down 48 triples last season at a nearly 40% mark. While his 6-foot-9 frame is slightly smaller than B\u00fcy\u00fcktuncel and Mast, Orme is as efficient as they come, with his 55.9 field goal percentage ranking within the top 50 in the nation.<\/p>\n