Friday, April 24, 2026

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 4/24/2026


Drew Scharnowski fills a real need for Duke--Busting Brackets
Alexander is Still Casey--Valley Hoops Insider
Marcus Belcher Joins Men's Basketball Coaching Staff--belmontbruins.com
Men's Basketball Welcomes Ethan Sage--belmontbruins.com
Men's Basketball Welcomes Matthew Zobrist--belmontbruins.com


Kelly Graves, Oregon Ducks' Updated Roster After Transfer Portal Deadline--Sports Illustrated

Transfer Additions to Kelly Graves' 2026-27 Roster

Luckily, Oregon coach Kelly Graves was able to find size through the portal with the acquisition of Belmont Bruins transfer Hilary Fuller. The 6-2 sophomore forward averaged 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in the Missouri Valley Conference.



Next year’s Yaxel Lendeborg? Six mid-major transfers leveling up who have star potential--The Athletic

Jaquan Johnson, Iowa State

2025-26 stats (at Bradley): 16.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game, while shooting 38.3 percent from 3 and 78.4 percent from the free-throw line.
The Athletic transfer portal rank: 53

Johnson, the Missouri Valley Defensive Player of the Year, is a better defensive than offensive player — but not only does that play at Iowa State, it’s almost exactly what the Cyclones need in their Tamin Lipsey replacement. Johnson is a pest of a defender, especially potent at creeping up to (and under) opposing ballhandlers to poke away the rock. He can do so everywhere: in zone, transition and the standard half-court. His steal rate was the 10th-best in DI last season, per KenPom, and he had six games with at least five, including nine against UT-Martin in Bradley’s third game of the season. In that respect, he’ll fit in great in Ames.

Offensively, the fit is less certain. Johnson is listed at 5-foot-11 but is probably closer to 5-foot-9, and already struggled to finish inside against MVC competition. He’s at least a fine shooter who can handle decent volume. He was very free-throw reliant last season — drawing 6.2 fouls per 40 minutes, per KenPom, a top-75 rate nationally — and it’s fair to wonder whether he’ll be so proficient at drawing contact in the Big 12.

Iowa State Basketball Announces Second Assistant Coach Hire--Sports Illustrated
Former Metamora star picks new school after leaving Bradley basketball for transfer portal--Peoria Journal Star
What Bradley basketball coach said after two frontcourt players signed--Peoria Journal Star
How watching a movie set the tone for Bradley's transfer portal strategy--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley basketball team loses an assistant coach--Peoria Journal Star


Bradley women's basketball hires assistant coach, signs former Marquette player--Peoria Journal Star



Drake men's basketball set to play in 2026 Hall of Fame Classic--Des Moines Register
Drake Men's Basketball to Partake in 2026 Hall of Fame Classic--godrakebulldogs.com



Ben Wierzba re-introduces himself to Evansville as women's basketball coach--Evansville Courier & Press



Ty'Reek Coleman officially signs with Iowa men's basketball--Des Moines Register
Illinois State basketball lands transfer from Missouri State--The Pantagraph
Ty Pence announces commitment to Akron--The Vidette
Missouri State transfer Zaxton King joins Illinois State; two roster spots remaining--The Vidette
Hannah Chicken Signs With Redbird Women’s Basketball For 2026-27--goredbirds.com

Redbirds sign Hannah Chicken as second transfer--The Vidette



ISU men's basketball gets commitment from Germany center--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Men's basketball signs transfer Joah Chappelle--gosycamores.com
Men's basketball signs Zionsville native Maguire Mitchell--gosycamores.com
Men's basketball signs FC Bayern Munich big Alessio Calamita--gosycamores.com



Dayton basketball: Murray State transfer is a natural scorer--Dayton Daily News

No rebuild needed; High Point provides Foust chance for big run in first head job--Murray Ledger and Times



LEADING OFF: UNI adds pair of men's basketball transfers to roster--Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier



Saluki Basketball Accepts Invite to Paradise Jam--siusalukis.com

Salukis Announced Signing of DePaul Transfer, McCline--siusalukis.com



UIC Men’s Basketball Adds Gabe Cupps to 2026-27 Roster--uicflames.com
Lucas Scroggins Joins UIC Men’s Basketball for 2026-27 Season--uicflames.com

Miyah Brown Joins UIC Women’s Basketball Ahead of the 2026-27 Season--uicflames.com



Bruno Alocen Commits to Valpo--The Valpo Vault

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

What's Up In The Missouri Valley 4/21/2026


Bradley Braves find a big man via the NCAA transfer portal--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley basketball gets power forward, son of former NBA first-round pick--Peoria Journal Star



Illinois State coach Ryan Pedon offers his assessment of new Redbirds Noah Cleveland, Demarion Burch--The Pantagraph
Continuing the Wolfpack: Leyton Wolf commits to Illinois State--The Vidette
Men’s Basketball Adds Demarion Burch for 2026-27--goredbirds.com
Men’s Basketball Adds Transfer Noah Cleveland--goredbirds.com

Illinois State men's and women's basketball roster tracker: Who's arriving, staying and leaving--The Pantagraph

Guard Chloe Spreen, forward Hannah Chicken transferring to Illinois State women's basketball--The Pantagraph
Spreen Signs With Redbird Women’s Basketball For 2026-27--goredbirds.com



Recruits from Zionsville, Oregon commit to play at Indiana State in men's hoops--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Bruno Alocen stays in Valley, joins Beacons--Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Men's basketball signs NAIA Second Team All-American Jackson Cooper--gosycamores.com



Women's Basketball Signs Tart, Keeping O'Fallon Standout in Southern Illinois--siusalukis.com



Gabe Dynes hitting the portal, DeShaun Jackson finds a home, Evan Ipsaro, Andy Johnson stay home--LINK nky

Ipsaro, Johnson staying home

Miami (Ohio) junior Evan Ipsaro and Illinois-Chicago freshman Andy Johnson announced they’ll be returning to their respective teams next season. Yes, that is a thing now with the portal that even players deciding to stay and honor their scholarships have to announce their intentions in doing so.


Johnson | Photo provided | UIC Athletics

Johnson, A Cooper alum, posted a solid freshman season of 11.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game with the Flames. He started in 34 of 35 contests and averaged 28.7 minutes per game. Expect his role to increase as well with the departure of Elijah Crawford, who transferred to Villanova. Crawford led the team in scoring while Johnson was third. The Flames made a surprising run to the Missouri Valley Conference Championship before losing to Northern Iowa and were invited to the NIT and lost to Cal in the first round.



The March to MSG Episode--The Victory Bell
Valpo joins the Valley Transfer Carousel--The Valpo Vault
Dylan Moles to Join Valpo Men’s Basketball Program--valpoathletics.com

Saturday, April 18, 2026