After a jam-packed opening week of college hoops, The Portal Report has taken notice of a group of first-year transfer players that shined to open their respective seasons.
Check out this week’s Transfers of the Week below.
Brandin Podziemski, Santa Clara
In wins over Eastern Washington and Georgia Southern, the Illinois transfer dropped 30 and 34 points, respectively. He also grabbed 20 rebounds on the week and hit 19 of his 36 field-goal attempts (53%). Podziemski’s efforts earned him TPR’s Transfer of the Week honors.
Dain Dainja, Illinois
Dainja dominated inside for the Illini in two wins, posting two stunning stat lines: 17 points (8-9 FG) with ten rebounds against Eastern Ill., and 20 points (9-11 FG) with 15 rebounds in a win over Kansas City.
Emoni Bates, Eastern Michigan
Bates played one game this week, putting on a spectacular scoring effort in a loss to ranked in-state rival Michigan. Bates scored 30 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. He hit 9 of his 13 shot attempts.
Grant Basile, Virginia Tech
After dropping 30 points and grabbing ten rebounds in his Hokie debut, Basile turned in another solid performance with 11 points and eight rebounds in a win over Lehigh.
Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois
Shannon averaged 19 points, six rebounds, and 3.5 assists in his first week of action for the Illini.He shot 45% from the field in two wins for Illinois.
Sam Griesel, Nebraska
In two games, Griesel posted averages of 20 points, eight rebounds, and three assists for the Cornhuskers. He hit 59% of his field-goal attempts.
Primo Spears, Georgetown
Spears shined offensively for the Hoyas, averaging 24.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in two games. He shot 59% from the field.
Sam Sessoms, Coppin State
Sessoms posted several tremendous games this week, averaging 22.7 points and six assists across three games.
Cam Spencer, Rutgers
Across three games for Rutgers, Spencer averaged 16.7 points, four assists, four steals, and four rebounds. The former Loyola (MD) star shot 50% from the field, and hit seven of his 14 three-point attempts as well.
Antonio Reeves, Kentucky
In two wins for Kentucky, Reeves hit 52% of his shots, including 10 of his 18 three-point attempts, scoring 40 points on the week.
Mark Sears, Alabama
The Ohio transfer scored 12 and 22 points in Alabama’s two games this week, respectively. In 59 minutes on the week, Sears hit 46% of his field goals, hit four of his ten three-point attempts, grabbed 18 rebounds, and dished out nine assists.
Ryan Young, Duke
Young was as efficient as they come in Duke’s two wins this week. He scored 23 points in the Blue Devils’ two wins, grabbing 15 rebounds and hitting 71% of his shots on the week.
Joe Toussaint, West Virginia
Toussaint averaged 13 points per game across two wins for West Virginia, including an 18-point outburst against Pitt on Friday.
Tyree Appleby, Wake Forest
Appleby averaged 15 points per game in week one after exploding for 22 points in a win over Georgia. Appleby also grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out 6 assists in the victory over the Dawgs.
Andre Kelly, UCSB
Kelly dominated on the boards in both wins for UCSB this week. He grabbed 14 rebounds in the win over San Francisco State, and then grabbed 15, and scored 16 points, in a win over Fresno State.
Terence Lewis II, Louisiana
Lewis averaged a double-double on the week, scoring 14.5 points and grabbing 10.5 rebounds per game in two matchups for Louisiana.
Keyontae Johnson, Kansas State
Johnson returned to the floor for Kansas State this season, and started off his season hot. The 6-foot-5 forward averaged 14.5 points this week on 48% shooting and 57% three-point shooting numbers.
DaQuan Smith, Radford
The Murray State transfer averaged 15 points and four rebounds per game this week, while shooting 35% from the field.
KJ Williams, LSU
The reigning MVC Player of the Year shined in two games for LSU, posting averages of 14 points and nine rebounds, while shooting 44% from the field and 43% from three.
Chance Moore, Missouri State
Moore scored 18 points and grabbed six boards in a win over Missouri S&T.
Bryce Hopkins, Providence
The highly-touted Kentucky transfer averaged 14 points and 8.5 rebounds on the week for Providence.
Hayden Brown, South Carolina
In two games for South Carolina, Brown averaged 15 points and 5.5 boards per game.
Nijel Pack, Miami
In wins over UNCG and Lafayette, Pack scored 14 and 16 points, respectively, to lead the Hurricanes. He shot 41% from the field.
Tyreke Key, Tennessee
In one game for the Volunteers, Key scored 17 points on only 10 shots, including four three-pointers.
Trevon Braziile, Arkansas
The Mizzou transfer averaged 14.5 points and ten rebounds per game across two games for the Hogs.
