UNLV
Shakur Juiston–Redshirt Senior F at Oregon (PAC-12)
The former junior college All-American and double-double machine in the Mountain West found his new home in Eugene, OR this year on an 8th ranked Ducks team currently sitting at 14-3 (3-1, 2nd PAC-12). Juiston has become a key role player in Oregon averaging 8.0 PPG and 6.3 RPG in 11 starts for a Ducks team that has been searching for stability in it’s shallow front court all season. It obviously hasn’t slowed them down with a top-10 ranking and a goal to make the NCAA tournament for the 7th time in the last ten years.
Louis Bangai–Redshirt Junior C at GCU (WAC) Scholarship
A former walk-on at UNLV Bangai has opted to follow former head coach Marvin Menzies south to Grand Canyon in Phoenix, AZ. The Lopes are in a bit of a down year, currently sitting at 5-11 (0-2, 8th in WAC) after four straight years of 20-win seasons. Bangai shouldn’t be to blame too much as he is only averaging 2.9 MPG in only 7 appearances for GCU, but bound to see more minutes as one of two players standing above 6-8 seeing minutes this season.
Jaylan Ballou–Junior G at Howard Payne (NCAA D-III American Southwest Conference)
Ballou left UNLV as a walk-on in the first year of the Menzies tenure, and after stops in Juco at Angelina College where he only appeared in five games (2.4 PPG) he found his way to D-III Howard Payne in Brownwood, TX. Averaging 5.5 PPG in 13 games with 8 starts, Ballou and the Yellow Jackets are 1-13 (0-5, ASC) and looking for a win, they’ve got East Texas Baptist Univ. and Letourneau Univ. on the schedule this week to achieve that.
Dwayne Morgan–Graduate Student F at Southern Utah (Big Sky) class of 2015
Dwayne Morgan is currently enjoying a sixth year of eligibility in Ceday City, UT as a member of the Southern Utah Thunderbirds team as a graduate student. Morgan left UNLV back in 2017 and followed former UNLV interim head coach Todd Simon to the Big Sky. Morgan has had an injury plagued career that has allowed the former top-50 combo forward to find continue his college basketball career in pursuit of a masters degree.
Morgan was the start of an influx of talented players into the Thunderbirds program by Todd Simon and has averaged double figures in each of his three seasons with Southern Utah so far, including 11.2 PPG and 3.7 RPG this season. Southern Utah is 10-5 (3-1, 2nd in Big Sky) this season and is enjoying a level of success that Morgan and others helped lay the foundation for several years ago.
Troy Baxter Jr.-Redshirt Junior F at Morgan State (MEAC)
Another former top-100 prospect from a UNLV recruiting class, Baxter Jr. never found his way into the Runnin’ Rebel rotation in his lone season in the desert. He transferred closer to his home in Tallahassee to Florida Gulf Coast of the A-Sun and sat out the 2017-2018 season. He played a smaller role than maybe expected with the Eagles and transferred to Morgan State this past season and is a part of a 8-11 (2-2, 6th in MEAC) squad averaging 11.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 2.1 APG in 19 games (17 starts). Baxter Jr. declared for the NBA draft last year but opted to return to college basketball and is trying to rejuvenate his draft stock with a successful season in Baltimore.
Tervell Beck–Redshirt Junior F at Kent State (MAC)
Beck found his way to Las Vegas as a member of Menzies first class at UNLV but like most from that class never saw a growing role with the Rebels so for the upcoming 2019-2020 season he opted to transfer closer to home in Ohio to Kent State. Kent State is enjoying some success this year at 13-3 (3-0, 1st in MAC East) on the season. While Beck has seen about the same amount of court time in Kent as he was in Las Vegas before his departure (about twelve MPG), he seems to have found his role on this Golden Flashes squad looking to go back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017.
Ben Coupet Jr.–Redshirt Junior G at Arkansas-Little Rock (Sun Belt)
The trend of first year Menzies recruits who transferred out of the program doesn’t end here, but at least Coupet Jr. has found a home that is giving him more playing time with a 30.2 MPG bump from his last stop. At Little Rock Coupet Jr. is enjoying that increase in playing time while also chipping in 12.1 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 18 starts for a 11-7 (5-2, 1st in Sun Belt) Trojans team. This Little Rock team is pretty good and doesn’t have a senior logging minutes so far, they should carry this momentum straight on through to next season after a run at the NCAA tournament this year after being picked to finish 10th in the Sunbelt preseason poll.
Zion Morgan–Redshirt Junior G at Valparaiso (Missouri Valley)
Almost the last of the Menzie recruits to appear on the list for UNLV, Morgan opted to return to the Midwest for a successful stint in Juco at Wabash Valley College (IL) before finding his way to Valparaiso of the Missouri Valley. Morgan has struggled to find much playing time with the Crusaders this season averaging just 1.4 PPG in 8.2 MPG in 14 games so far.
The former Horizon league juggernauts have had a tough transition into the Missouri Valley, failing to finish above .500 overall and in conference play since joining in 2017. Valparaiso is 9-8 (2-2, 4th in MVC) with a shot at staying in the top-5 after being predicted to finish 9th in preseason.
Trey Woodbury–Sophomore G at Utah Valley (WAC)
Woodbury was a fringe top-150 recruit in in Marvin Menzies last season in charge but saw only 6.3 MPG in 22 games as a freshman. Woodbury opted to transfer to Utah Valley and was granted a waiver to play right away for first year head coach Mark Madsen. The Wolverines are in a bit of a rebuilding mode, currently sitting at 7-11 (1-2, 7th in WAC).
But with wins against UAB and Wyoming as well as a near upset of Kentucky in Rupp Arena early in the season in a “transition year”, the wolverines don’t look to be in too bad of shape. Woodbury is averaging 8.6 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 18 games (15 starts) so far, the sophomore should only see his role grow with Utah Valley’s top three scorers being seniors this spring.
Utah State
Tauriawn Knight-sophomore at Odessa college (NJCAA Region V)
Knight is one of two former Mountain West players suiting up for the Wranglers this season. Odessa is 8-9 (1-3) on the year while Knight is averaging 9.5 PPG, 2.8 APG 1.4 RPG in 17 GMS.
Koby McEwen–Redshirt Junior G at Marquette (Big East)
McEwen was a part of the last Tim Duryea led Aggie team in Logan back in 2017-2018. The Canadian guard was one Aggie fans may have hoped would have stuck around but he has found a role in the Golden Eagles starting line up at Marquette this season behind the nations leading scorer Markus Howard. Marquette is 11-5 (1-3, 6th in Big East) which is good for 5th place at the moment. McEwen is averaging 9.8 PPG in 15 games in Milwaukee which makes him the team’s third leading scorer.
Daron Henson–F Washington State (PAC-12) Salt Lake CC
Henson spent last season in Juco at Salt Lake Community College and committed to Washington State after averaging 12.3 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 28 games. He has seen little action in just two games this season for the Washington State Cougars (Nov. 7th and Jan. 11th), but with a season ending diagnosis for F Deion James left an already shallow frontcourt even worse off, Henson hopped in against Stanford on Saturday to score 12 points and grab 2 rebounds.
Crew Ainge–Junior G at Babson College Beavers (MA) (NCAA Div. III NEWMAC)
The legacy that Crew Ainge was supposed to live up to playing his college ball in Utah may have been unfair, but after averaging 2.8 PPG with 1.6 APG in 18 games last season for the Aggies, Crew transferred to division-III Babson College to be closer to family. The Beavers are 11-2 (1-1, in NEWMAC) on the season and Ainge is averaging 11.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 4.8 APG in 12 of those games on the year.
John Knight III–Junior G at Southern Utah (Big Sky)
After what seemed like a brief stop in Logan where fans saw Knight III for only 10 games, we find him enjoying second place in the Big Sky at Southern Utah . The Thunderbirds (10-5, 3-1 Big Sky) are enjoying the now red haired Mississippian averaging 13.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 2.4 APG in 14 games with 8 starts.
John Middleton-Senior G/F at Bridgeport (NCAA D-II East Coast Conference)
Middleton is out in Connecticut these days at division-II Bridgeport University. He had a brief stop at Valparaiso before joining the Purple Knights who are 12-2 and undefeated in conference play at 4-0. He leads the team in scoring with 15.5 PPG in 2 games played this year.
Ngor Barnaba-Senior F at Talladega College (AL) Tornadoes (NAIA Gulf Coast Athletic Conference)
Barnaba has found a home at Talladega College in Alabama, where he is averaging 10.6 PPG and 7.2 RPG in 17 games with 12 starts for a 14-3 (1-0, in GCAC) Tornadoes team.
Wyoming
Cody Kelly–Senior G at South Dakota (Summit)
Kelley has found a home in neighboring South Dakota where he helped the Coyotes to a 5th place finish in the Summit League last year and currently has them sitting in 4th place now, at 11-7 (2-2 Summit) while averaging 10.9 PPG, 2.2 APG and 1.0 SPG.
Sam Averbuck–Senior G at Dominican (CA) (NCAA D-II PAC West Conference)
The former Wyoming walk on is on scholarship at Division II Domincan University of California. The Penguins are 2-13 (2-7 PW) on the season where Averbuck is averaging 9.7 PPG in 15 games (all starts).
Trace Young–Sophomore G/F at John A. Logan (IL) (NJCAA Great River Athletic Conference)
Young is spending his sophomore year in Juco at John A. Logan alongside future Louisville Cardinal Jay Scrubb. He is averaging 8.8 PPG in 16 games with 14 starts 12-4 (7-0) Vols squad.
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