New Mexico
Anthony Mathis–Graduate Transfer G at Oregon (PAC-12)
One of the more stunning transfers of the off season as many if not all folks following the Mountain West expected Mathis to be out of eligibility at this point being a class of 2015 recruit and all, but anyway he’s still around and still knocking down threes in college basketball. Upon learning of Mathis’ newly granted eligibility in back in April, I hope too many folks weren’t shocked that he decided to take full advantage of his last year of college basketball playing for a home crowd a long side former high school teammate and Duck leader Payton Pritchard back at Oregon.
Mathis has been just what Dana Altman has needed alongside Pritchard in the back court, spreading out defenses with the threat of his three point shot going in and making sure those three point shots go in when he has them. Mathis had a 9/11 performance from deep against a familiar foe in Boise State back in early November and a 6/10 performance against Michigan in mid December. He is fourth on the team in scoring with 9.3 PPG, shooting 44% from three but looks like he fully knows his role and intends to help Oregon get to the tourney for the 7th time in ten years.
Damien Jefferson–Redshirt Junior G/F at Creighton (Big East)
Jefferson was a legacy recruit at New Mexico and saw some playing time as a true freshman in his one and only season in Albuquerque. He returned back home to the Midwest and found a landing spot in the Big East at Creighton. He is averaging 8.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG in 15 starts for a 13-4 (2-2 Big East) Bluejays team. Creighton is hoping to make the NCAA tournament but a poor start in conference play against two top-25 ranked teams recently wasn’t exactly a resume booster.
Jalen Harris–Redshirt Junior G at Arkansas (SEC)
Like Jefferson Harris’ time in Albuquerque was short lived, but Harris found his way to the SEC and has enjoyed a successful 13-2 (2-1, SEC) season under first year head coach Eric Musselman. He hasn’t found his way into the starting lineup yet on this successful Razorbacks squad but is averaging 4.5 PPG and 2.4 APG in 23.9 MPG. The Musselman effect seems to be taking place in Arkansas and Harris was wise to stick around and be a part of it.
Aher Uguak–Redshirt Junior G/F at Loyola (IL) (Missouri Valley)
Uguak came to New Mexico in Craig Neal’s last season in Albuquerque, I thought he would stay hailing from Paul Weir’s homeland (Canada) but that same season he transferred. Uguak found a landing spot closer to his home in Edmonton, Alberta at Loyola (IL). In a smaller lineup Uguak has gotten plenty of playing time at 23.8 MPG averaging 5.5 PPG and 3.1 RPG in seventeen starts for the Ramblers who are 11-6 (3-1, MVC 1st)
Troy Simmons–Redshirt Senior G at Kent State (MAC)
Simmons became a fan favorite after a playing a key roll in New Mexico’s conference tournament run in Weir’s first year in Albuquerque. He opted to transfer closer to home and found a place at Kent State in Ohio. He sat out the 18-19 season but has been a key contributor on a 13-3 (3-0, 1st in MAC East) Golden Flashes team looking to make an undefeated run in conference play. Simmons is one of five Golden Flashes averaging double figures with 12.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG and 1.4 SPG in 16 starts for Kent State.
Chris McNeal–Redshirt Senior G at Cincinnati (American)
McNeal may be in the running for most stops by a player in their career (players on this list) with a total of five different institutions if you count his time at Indian Hills (Juco) back in 2016-2017. But after a brief stop at Tennessee Tech of the Ohio Valley conference where he sat out the 2018-2019 season, he landed at Cincinnati under first year head coach John Brannen.
As at New Mexico McNeal has been the kind of point guard you can just plug into your starting lineup with 10 starts in 16 games for a 10-6 (3-1, 2nd in AAC) Bearcats squad. McNeal is averaging just 4.3 PPG in 21.5 MPG with majority of his best performances coming in the first half of the season, including a season high 17 points in a loss to Bowling Green back in November. The Bearcats took a step back with Mick Cronin’s departure but McNeal has been a nice addition to this Cincinnati squad staying competitive in a transition year.
San Diego State
Ben Perez–Senior G at Iona (MAAC)
Perez was a walk-on at San Diego State finding action in 26 games averaging 9.6 MPG. He transferred to South Plains College for his sophomore year before finding a landing spot at Iona in Rochelle, NY. Perez is averaging 2.1 PPG in 10 games for a 3-8 (1-3, 9th in MAAC) Gaels team.
Ed Chang–Sophomore F at Salt Lake Community College (NJCAA Scenic West Athletic Conference)
Chang saw limited action in his freshman season in San Diego. The Bruins are 17-4 (3-0) and currently ranked 20th in this week’s NJCAA top-25 poll, Chang is averaging 8.0 PPG 3.4 RPG in 18 games.
San Jose State
Keith Fisher III–Redshirt Sophomore F at Illinois State (Missouri Valley)
The ongoing transfers out of the Spartan program are still one of the tougher aspects of one of the tougher jobs in the Mountain West. Fisher III who transferred out of the program back in 2018 redshirted the 2018-2019 season and is now a part of a 6-10 (1-3, 9th in MVC) Illinois State Redbirds team with fellow former Spartan Jaycee Hillsman. Fisher III is currently averaging 7.5 PPG and 5.3 RPG in 13 starts for a Redbirds team that is fighting for .500 as they did last year.
Jaycee Hillsman–Redshirt Senior G at Illinois State (Missouri Valley)
Hillsman is a native of Illinois and opted for a transfer closer to home after a rough 4-26 (1-17, in MWC) finish in San Jose back in 2017-2018. After sitting out last season due to transfer rules, Hillsman is averaging 7.2 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 13 starts for a a 6-10 (1-3, 9th in MVC)
Brian Rodriguez-Flores–Senior F at Chadron State (NE) (NCAA D-II-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference)
Rodriguez-Flores was a former walk-on at San Jose State who has found a home and some playing time at Chadron State in Chadron, NE. Averaging 16.6 PPG and 5.3 RPG for a 3-12 (2-7, RMAC) Eagle squad in 10 starts this season.
Cody Schwartz–Redshirt Senior G at Wisconsin-Green Bay (Horizon League)
With Dave Wojcik’s departure in 2017 we saw a trend begin in San Jose of players looking for opportunities at other schools. Though these have usually been player’s who are in the top-3 in scoring for the Spartan’s, Schwartz was a part of the original group that left back in 2017 that is primarily associated with now Memphis Grizzly Brandon Clarke’s departure.
He found a home back in his home state of Wisconsin at Green Bay where he has started in 37/54 games for the Phoenix, averaging 7.9 PPG and 4.1 RPG this season for a 7-11 (2-3, 6th in Horizon) squad.
Nai Carlisle–Junior G at Cal State East Bay (NCAA D-II California Collegiate Athletic Association)
Carlisle didn’t travel far from California like most on this San Jose transfer list. Carlisle who is from Indiana chose to stick it out on the west coast and found a home new home at Cal-State East Bay in Hayward, CA. The 40 minute drive from San Jose didn’t weigh too heavy on Carlisle who transferred back in 2018 has started in 44 games for the Pioneers, averaging 11.6 PPG and 2.6 APG this season. The Pioneers are 9-7 (5-5, in CCAA) so far but Carlisle only played one minute in their most recent loss to Cal-State Monterrey Bay with no indication of an injury on the teams website or twitter so far, let’s see what they can do with their second leading scorer playing minimal minutes.
Walter “Quincy” Urbina–Sophomore G At City College of San Francisco (NJCAA-California Community College Athletic Association)
Urbina has found his way North to the City College of San Francisco where he is a part of a 16-0 (2-0, Coast Conference) Rams squad that is ranked first in the CCCAA and an ongoing powerhouse on the west coast. Urbina is third on the team in scoring with 10.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 1.0 SPG in four starts. The Rams lost to Fullerton in last years CCCAA championship and is looking to take their undefeated streak all the way to Lemoore this year.
*Urbina has signed a NLI with Grand Canyon (WAC) for the 2020-2021 season.