Pinging The Portal: Cincinnati Bearcats Keeping Guard-Heavy Focus With New Contacts

CINCINNATI — Time for a fresh look at transfer portal news as Cincinnati continues to contact players, starting with Iowa guard Tony Perkins.

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 14 points, 4.4 assists, and 4.4 rebounds in 2023-24 as a strong all-around player in the Big 10. He is one of the best players currently in the portal. He is using his extra year of eligibility for one final run following his senior season.

Iowa transfer Tony Perkins tells @On3sports these are the schools he has heard from since entering the transfer portal…

Oklahoma
Ole Miss
Arkansas
Missouri
UCLA
Indiana
USC
BYU
Nebraska
SMU
Kansas
Virginia
Cincinnati
Texas Tech
Arizona State
Virginia Tech
Vanderbilt
Miami… https://t.co/iANaP8qr8X pic.twitter.com/mX2cU669CF
— Jamie Shaw (@JamieShaw5) March 27, 2024

Next, we have contact with Norfolk State junior guard Jamarii Thomas

The 6-0 guard earned MEAC Player of the Year honors after averaging 16.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists this past season. He has one year of eligibility left.

Norfolk State transfer Jamarii Thomas tells @On3sports he has heard from the following schools since entering the transfer portal yesterday

Iowa
VCU
Cal
Oklahoma State
Colorado
Cincinnati
George Mason
Arizona State
East Carolina

The 6-0 guard earned MEAC Player of the Year… https://t.co/breGW0SXsw pic.twitter.com/9ikb9hmEvT
— Jamie Shaw (@JamieShaw5) April 2, 2024

Xavier Dusell is hearing from Cincinnati as well while he looks for one final college home in his final season.

The 6-foot-4 Fresno State guard averaged 11.5 points and 2.1 rebounds this past season on 42.3% shooting (39.5% from outside).

Fresno State transfer Xavier DuSell has received interest from the following programs, per source:

Arkansas
Ole Miss
Colorado State
Nevada
Cal
San Diego State
Cincinnati
Oregon State
Utah State

The 6’5 G averaged 11.5 points per game and shot 39.5% from behind the arc this… pic.twitter.com/QkUjTgJmOW
— The Portal Report (@ThePortalReport) April 2, 2024

Next, we have South Dakota State guard Zeke Mayo on UC's radar as he weighs college options and the NBA Draft.

Mayo averaged 18.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists this past season all while shooting 39% from three at 6-foot-4. He'd be a fantastic addition fitting exactly the game mold UC needs.

Mayo has one season left to play in college.

South Dakota State transfer guard Zeke Mayo has heard from the following schools since entering the portal, he tells @On3sports:

Kansas
Ole Miss
Alabama
Oklahoma
Kansas State
Arkansas
Indiana
Clemson
Houston
Utah
Texas
Florida
Missouri
Auburn
Arizona
Louisville
Colorado… https://t.co/MbDCEfAvJE
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) March 28, 2024

UC continued the guard-heavy focus and reached out to freshman Lipscomb guard Cody Head as well.

Head averaged 8.1 points and 2.1 rebounds across 18 minutes per game (53.2% from the floor, 35.2% from deep). The 6-foot-3 talent has three years of eligibility left.

Lipscomb transfer Cody Head has heard from the following, he tells Lucas Everett and @HoopScoopMedia

Cincinnati
Illinois State
Valpo
Liberty
Arkansas State
Georgia State
Furman
Eastern Kentucky
Toledo
Miami OH
Le Moyne
+ more

Averaged 8PPG shooting 53% as a freshman
— Lucas Everett (@Everett23061) March 28, 2024

We close the Portal Ping with UC contacting North Texas sophomore guard Jason Edwards.

The 6-foot guard posted 19.1 points on 42.3% shooting last season (35% from deep). The former JuCo player was first-team All-AAC in his first Division I season.

North Texas transfer Jason Edwards tells @On3sports he has heard from the following schools since putting his name in the transfer portal

Iowa
Kansas
Gonzaga
Providence
Auburn
Florida
LSU
BYU
Creighton
Miami
Georgia Tech
Boston College
Louisville
Arizona State
Texas A&M… https://t.co/j4f5l2Nw91 pic.twitter.com/Pe01Xeq668
— Jamie Shaw (@JamieShaw5) March 29, 2024