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Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State Lands Second Transfer Portal Commitment

Mississippi State basketball has added Utah transfer Kendyl Sanders, a 6-foot-8 forward who shot over 40 percent from three this season.
Taylor Hodges|
Utah Utes forward Kendyl Sanders (13) against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first half at Desert Financial Arena.
Utah Utes forward Kendyl Sanders (13) against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first half at Desert Financial Arena. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Mississippi State Bulldogs

It’s mostly been a one-way street between Starkville and the transfer portal this offseason.

Six Bulldogs went in before the window closed Tuesday, and for a while only one new addition had come back the other direction. Now it’s two.

247Sports reports that Utah power forward Kendyl Sanders has committed to Mississippi State.

Sanders played in 32 games off the bench for the Utes this season and didn’t record a start, but he still logged 20.1 minutes per game. He averaged 5.2 points and 3.1 rebounds.

The part that should catch Mississippi State’s attention is his perimeter shooting.

At 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, Sanders knocked down 40.3 percent of his three-point attempts. And it wasn’t a small sample size. He took 77 threes on the year, giving Mississippi State a stretch option it didn’t have much of last season.

The odd wrinkle in his numbers is the free-throw shooting. Sanders made only 12 of his 31 attempts, a rough 38.7 percent clip that doesn’t match the rest of his shooting profile. But free throw shooting can be improved in the offseason.

His best outing came in mid-December when he scored 13 points in a win over Eastern Washington. He also posted a pair of eight-rebound games, both season highs.

Mississippi State still has work to do in the portal, but Sanders gives the Bulldogs a frontcourt piece with size, shooting touch and room to grow.

He joins former Kennesaw State guard RJ Johnson as the second member of Mississippi State's transfer portal class. The Bulldogs will also have Josh Hubbard, King Grace, Tee Bartlett and Camren Paul returning from last season's roster.

That gives Mississippi State six players on the roster and has three high school recruits (C Tristan Reed, SF Jalyn Collingwood and CG Willie Burnett III) signed to join in the fall.

Mississippi State Basketball Transfer Portal Tracker

Women

Incoming

  • Reese Beaty, 5-8, G, Fr. (Iowa State)
  • Aryss Macktoon, G, 5-11, So. (La Salle)
  • Macie Phifer, 6-1, G, Fr. (Middle Tennessee)
  • Cali Smallwood, 5-9, G, Jr. (UAB)

Outgoing

  • Awa Fane, 5-8, G, Jr.
  • Nataliyah Gray, 6-3, F, Fr.
  • Rocío Jiménez, 6-7, C, R-So.
  • Saniyah King, 5-7, G, So.
  • Jaylah Lampley, 6-2, Fr.

Men

Incoming

  • RJ Johnson, 6-4, G, Jr.
  • Kendyl Sanders, 6-8, F, Fr.

Outgoing

  • Gai Chol, 7-0, C, Jr.
  • Jamarion Davis-Fleming, 6-10, F, Fr.
  • Dellquan Warren, 6-2, G, So.
  • Amier Ali, 6-8, G/F, So.
  • Sergej Macura, 6-9, F, So.
  • Brandon Walker, 6-8, F, Sr.
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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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