West Virginia graduate transfer guard Joe Toussaint is staying in the Big 12, he announced on Tuesday. The 6-foot-0 guard out of the Bronx, New York, committed to Texas Tech as he’ll look to finish out his college basketball career in Lubbock. He committed to the Red Raiders over Kansas State and Pittsburgh.
Toussaint entered the transfer portal shortly after West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins resigned as the Mountaineers’ head coach last month following an arrest for DUI. He spent three years with the Iowa Hawkeyes before spending last year in Morgantown.
Toussaint has played in 132 games between Iowa and West Virginia in his career while making 42 starts. He has been chiefly a rotational piece for the Hawkeyes and Mountaineers, averaging 17.2 minutes per contest in his career.
This past season, Toussaint recorded career highs in points and rebounds, posting 9.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He shot 37.4% from the floor, including 32.7% from three-point range and 78.7% from the free throw line.
Toussaint’s role with the Red Raiders is currently unclear as first-year head coach Grant McCasland is working with a roster that saw quite the makeover this offseason, especially at the guard position.
The program saw several departures this offseason, including each of the program’s top three scorers in forward Kevin Obanor and guards De’Vion Harmon and Jaylon Tyson. Rotational guards Kerwin Walton, Elijah Fisher, and CJ Williams have all entered the transfer portal, with Walton and Fisher finding new programs.
200% COMMITTED ‼️ WreckEm 🤞🏾❤️‼️ pic.twitter.com/tIKRb7lnHq
— Joe Toussaint (@TouTou__5) July 4, 2023
Rising junior guard Pop Issacs is the Red Raiders leading returning scorer after averaging 11.5 points last season. A three-point specialist, 66% of all his shots (164-of-247) came from deep last season, shooting 37.8% from the perimeter.
Beyond Isaacs, the Red Raiders return 6-foot-5 guard D’maurian Williams and 6-foot-4 guard Lamar Washington. Head coach Grant McCasland also brought Grand Canyon guard Chance McMillian into the program this offseason. McMillian averaged 10.9 points last season for the Antelopes.
Toussaint will bring a quality experience to the Red Raiders with the ability to either be a quality starting guard for the program or a solid rotational bench piece. The program’s competition at the guard position heading into next season will be one of the more intriguing preseason and early season competitions in Big 12 basketball next fall.
The Red Raiders this upcoming season will be looking to bounce back from their first missed NCAA Tournament since the 2016-17 season after going 16-16, including 5-13 in conference play.