The Hokies received some good news in June when second-team All-ACC forward Keva Aluma announced his decision to pull out of the NBA Draft and return to Blacksburg. That gives Tech head coach Mike Young his top four scorers from last season’s squad in Tyrece Radford, Nahiem Alleyne and Justyn Mutts. Wofford’s Storm Murphy, who earned All-SoCon first-team honors at point guard, transferred in after averaging 17.8 points and 4.3 assists for the Terriers. Clemson transfer Lynn Kidd will provide some size in the post for a Hokies’ squad talented enough to make a run in March.
One of the top backcourts in the country – David Johnson and Carlik Jones – is no longer on Louisville’s roster, although Chris Mack joined his ACC counterparts in hitting the transfer portal hard this offseason. Miami forward Matt Cross, Marshall guard Jarrod West, Florida guard Noah Locke and JuCo standout El Ellis will all factor in a rotation that already includes forwards Malik Williams, Jae’Lyn Withers and Samuell Williamson. Add in Top-100 prospects in center Roosevelt Wheeler and forward Michael James and the Cardinals may have enough pieces in place to contend for the ACC title.

Brad Brownell has certainly been consistent in his time in Clemson, fielding quality defensive units that struggle to score. The same narrative will likely follow the Tigers this season as leading scorer Aamir Simms and veteran guard Clyde Trapp have departed. Nick Honor and Al-Amir Dawes will be called upon to elevate their play in the backcourt, while South Florida guard David Collins and Youngstown State forward Naz Bohannon are transfers that Brownell will need to rely on to keep the Tigers near the NCAA Tournament bubble once again.
While students previously held "Beat Duke" parades on Franklin Street before sporting events,[185] today students and sports fans have been known to spill out of bars and residence halls upon the victory of one of Carolina's sports teams.[186] In most cases, a Franklin Street "bonfire" celebration is due to a victory by the men's basketball team,[187][188] although other Franklin Street celebrations have stemmed from wins by the women's basketball team and women's soccer team. The first known student celebration on Franklin Street came after the 1957 men's basketball team capped their perfect season with a national championship victory over the Kansas Jayhawks.[189] From then on, students have flooded the street after important victories.[189] After a Final Four victory in 1981 and the men's basketball team won the 1982 NCAA Championship, Franklin Street was painted blue by the fans who had rushed the street.[189] This event has led local vendors to stop selling Carolina blue paint as the Tar Heels near the national championship.
There was a mass exodus out of Jeff Capel’s program, starting with standout forward Justin Champagnie, who turned pro, and continuing with four transfers, headlined by guards Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney. Texas Tech transfer Jamarius Burton and Femi Odukale will be expected to handle the ball this season, while a trio of post transfers, including top JuCo forward Chris Payton, will be counted on to provide the Panthers with options in the paint.
Hubert Davis continues to keep it rolling in the 2022 class as Rivals150 wing Tyler Nickel becomes the latest basketball recruit to commit to the Tar Heels. He joins a class that already includes Jalen Washington, Seth Trimble, and Will Shaver to make up one of top classes in the country. Nickel provides UNC with another scorer with some size on the perimeter. (Rivals.com)
Wednesday wasn't officially Tyler Nickel Day at East Rockingham High School. But it sure felt like it. Classes were adjourned 30 minutes early so the other 749 or so students could attend Nickel's announcement. As he put on a UNC hat, Nickel represented more than the first student-athlete in East Rockingham history to commit to a Division 1 school. (Inside Carolina)
Most players Brady Manek’s age move on from college basketball after four years. If this wasn’t the age of NCAA pandemic rules, he would have left with only frustrating March memories. The 23-year-old sharpshooter never got past the first weekend of the NCAA tournament at Oklahoma, and he saw the opportunity at UNC as a chance to change that. (Tar Heel Tribune)
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