By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK -- Pittsburgh sophomore-transfer Trey McGowens released his Top 8 schools on Monday afternoon: Arkansas, Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Seton Hall, Xavier, TCU, and Nebraska.

McGowens started 31 of 33 games this season at Pitt, averaging 11.5 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in 33.8 minutes per game while shooting 36.7% from the field (including 41-of-132 from 3 for 31.1%) and 72.2% on free throws.

It was a slight efficiency and production-per-minutes-played downturn for McGowens compared to his freshman campaign in '18-19 when he started 32 of 33 games and averaged 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.9 steals in 27.8 minutes while shooting 41.7% field goals (including 32-of-98 from 3 for 32.7%) and 76.4% on free throws.

McGowens will have one transfer-redshirt season in 2020-21 before two seasons of playing eligibility beginning in '21-22.

* Lehigh junior-transfer James Karnik (6-9, 225, center, native of Surrey, British Columbia in Canada) confirmed Tuesday that Arkansas has reached out to him since he entered the transfer portal on Monday.

"Yeah, they have," Karnik said regarding the Hogs' coaching staff contacting him.

Karnik -- he'll have one transfer-redshirt season in '20-21 before one season of playing eligibility in '21-22 -- started in 17 of 22 games in '19-20 and averaged 12.2 points, a team-leading 7.2 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 1.0 assists in 28.4 minutes per game while shooting 57.2% from the field and 57.7% from the free throw line. Karnik delivered 12 career double-doubles at Lehigh.

According to reporting by Adam Zagoria of New York Times Sports, Karnik has also been contacted by Oregon State, Hawaii, Toledo, South Alabama, and Ball State.

* Yale grad-transfer Jordan Bruner (6-9, 205, Columbia, S.C. native) had included Arkansas among his final six schools on Friday, but on Tuesday multiple national media outlets reported that Bruner had cut his list in half as he's down to Alabama, Baylor, and Maryland.

* Houston Baptist grad-transfer guard Ian DuBose -- he once expressed interest in Arkansas -- committed to Wake Forest on Monday, according to reporting by ESPN's Jeff Borzello.

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Monday, March 30, 2020 ...

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK -- It was almost five months ago when the Arkansas Razorbacks employed a stifling defense during a 91-43 romp at home in the season opener against Rice, and now that Owls' sophomore Trey Murphy III has entered the transfer portal it appears as though the Hogs' coaching staff led by Eric Musselman is putting on a full-court press for the talented wing's services.

Murphy (6-8, 200, native of Durham, N.C.) said he's already been in contact with three Arkansas coaches since entering the portal on Saturday.

"I've talked to (Corey) Williams, Muss, and (Chris) Crutchfield," Murphy said. "They have reached out and I am interested."

Murphy said he's also heard from Arizona, Texas, Xavier, Houston, Stanford, Iowa State, DePaul, Cincinnati, Arizona state, Creighton, UConn, BYU, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Villanova among others.

Murphy (sit one, play two) started in 23 of 29 games in '19-20 and averaged 13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 30.2 minutes while shooting 43.4% from the field (including 75-of-204 from 3 for 36.8%) and 82.4% from the free throw line for a Rice team that finished 15-17 overall (including 7-11 for 12th place in Conference USA). He scored in double figures in all but 4 of the 29 games that he played in during his sophomore season, and he scored 20 or more points 6 times.

Against the Hogs on opening day for college basketball (Nov. 5), Murphy played 30 minutes and finished with 7 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 block in the lopsided loss.

"I'll never forget that game," Murphy said.

With no schools currently in the lead to land him, Murphy said whichever program he eventually chooses will be getting "3 level scoring and energy."

As a freshman in '18-19, Murphy started once in 32 games and averaged 8.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 20.6 minutes while shooting 44.2% from the field (including 64-of-152 from 3 for 42.1%) and 72.5% from the fee throw line.

* According to reporting by Evan Daniels of 247Sports.com, Arkansas is one of 8 schools recruiting Rhode Island sophomore transfer Tyrese Martin the hardest, a list that includes Oregon, Louisville, Creighton, Seton Hall, UConn, Georgia, and Ole Miss ... Martin (6-6, 205, guard) averaged 12.8 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting 43.3% on field goals (including 32.1% from 3) and 66.2% on free throws ... sit one, play two.

* According to reporting by Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, Arkansas is among the schools that has reached out to Northern Kentucky grad-transfer Jalen Tate (6-6, 170, guard), who started 20 of 22 games and averaged 13.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals in 30.2 minutes while shooting 48.5% fron the field (including 18.2% from 3) and 67.6% from the free thow line ... Tate was DNP when Northern Kentucky lost at Arkansas, 66-60, on Nov. 30 ... in addition to the Hogs, Rothstein reports that Tate has heard from Cincinnati, Xavier, Wichita State, Ohio, Utah State, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Duquesne, and Tulane ... one season of immediate playing eligibility in '20-21.

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Saturday, March 28, 2020 ...

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK -- Two highly regarded grad-transfers each listed Arkansas among their final six schools of interest on Friday, and when you look at the Hogs' needs and available scholarships it appears as though head coach Eric Musselman has zeroed in on two significant one-season difference-makers.

The first to narrow his list on Friday was Bowling Green grad-transfer shooting guard Justin Turner (you can read all about him, including his list of six, his stats and big games, and Arkansas's current backcourt situation in my Hogville.net story located below that was published on Friday, March 27).

The second to place the Hogs in his final six schools on Friday, according to multiple national media reports, was Yale grad-transfer Jordan Bruner (6-9, 205, Columbia, S.C. native).

Bruner, reportedly contacted by at least 50 schools since entering the transfer portal, is down to Arkansas, Alabama, Baylor, Gonzaga, Louisville, and Maryland.

Bruner started 27 of 28 games and averaged 10.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 blocks in 32.4 minutes while shooting 44.3% field goals (including 32-of-99 from 3 for 32.3%) and 76.6% free throws to help Yale (23-7 overall) win the Ivy League with an 11-3 record in '19-20.

Bruner's combination of height, length, perimeter shooting skill, and volume rebounding checks a lot of boxes that were not at Musselman's disposal from the frontline options on his first Arkansas team in '19-20. He recorded 9 double-doubles during his junior season, and a total of 12 over the course of his three years at Yale. His volume rebounding coupled with his rate of knocking down 1.1 three-pointers per game would be highly valued at any school, but especially at Arkansas.

As the Razorbacks' roster is currently situated, juniors-to-be / 6-8 forwards Ethan Henderson and Reggie Chaney are the only scholarship frontliners to play for Musselman with 7-3 sophomore-transfer stretch-5 Connor Vanover and 6-9 junior-transfer forward Abayomi "Baybe" Iyiola ready to suit up in '20-21 after redshirting last season. Committed 2020 big man Jaylin Williams (6-10 forward / center, Fort Smith Northside) is expected to sign his letter of intent in the spring.

Both Bruner and Turner will have one season of immediate playing eligibility in 2020-21. Assuming all 4 of Arkansas' high school pledges will be signed in the spring period (one signed in the early period, three more remain committed), Musselman has 2 scholarships to fill due to the recent departures of junior-grad Jalen Harris (transferring) and junior Mason Jones (announced Friday that he's headed to the 2020 NBA Draft).

A new name in the portal, and another Arkansas contact is Hawaii grad-transfer Drew Buggs (6-3, 195, guard, 9.4 points, 5.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds), according to Friday reporting by college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman who says Buggs has also heard from Gonzaga, San Diego State, and Xavier among other schools.

On March 21, Evan Daniels of 247Sports.com reported that UConn grad-transfer Alterique Gilbert (6-0, 180, guard, Atlanta, Ga., native, 8.5 points, 3.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals) had been contacted by Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Texas Tech, Wichita State, Cincinnati and Tulane among others. Playing against Arkansas in the 2017-18 PK80 event in Portland, Ore., Gilbert played 17 minutes and finished with 1 point and 1 rebound in the Hogs' 102-67 victory over UConn.

A player who left his team midseason, entered the portal on Jan.31, and was contacted by Arkansas -- according to reporting by ESPN's Jeff Borzello -- is Charleston Southern sophomore transfer Dontrell Shuler (6-2, 180, guard), who started 13 of 15 games and averaged 17.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals in 30.5 minutes while shooting 46.2% from the field (including 30.8% from 3) and 68.2% from the free throw line. Borzello listed Ole Miss, Maryland, Nebraska, and other schools as having also reached out to Shuler.

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From Friday, March 27, 2020 ...

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK -- On the same day that Arkansas star guard Mason Jones announced he's declaring for the NBA Draft, Bowling Green grad-transfer Justin Turner -- one of the hottest names in the college basketball transfer portal -- narrowed his list of schools of interest on Friday to Arkansas, Missouri, Xavier, Marquette, Louisville, and Iowa State, according to multiple national media reports.

Turner (6-4, 205, Detroit, Mich., native) started 24 of 25 games and averaged 18.8 points (led his team), 4.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 32.3 minutes while shooting 42.7% from the field (including 39-of-108 from 3 for 36.1%) and 85.1% from the free throw line on as Bowlng Green finished with the second-best record (12-6) in the Mid-American Conference as part of a 21-10 overall campaign in 2019-20.

Just looking at a couple of his games from '19-20, Turner scored 26 points in a road loss against LSU and he had 27 points in a neutral-site win over Western Kentucky.

Turner has played in each of the past four seasons at Bowling Green, but only four games as a freshman that turned into a redshirt season allowing him one more year of eligibility in '20-21. Turner is a two-time MAC all conference performer and he declared for the 2019 NBA Draft nearly a year ago before returning to Bowling Green for his junior season.

He was comlimentary of Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman in a recent interview during college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman's podcast.

"Coach Musselman from Arkansas ... I think he's been real, real, just passionate about the recruitment," Turner said. "Watching film, breaking down my game, things like that."

Even with three incoming talented freshmen guards -- Moses Moody, Khalen "KK" Robinson, and Davonte Davis -- it makes sense that Musselman is pouring over available guards in the portal given that the Hogs are losing three veteran guards with a combined 11 years in D1 basketball in Jones (the SEC's leading scorer at 22.0 points per game and the league's Co-Player of the Year), Jimmy Whitt, Jr. (out of eligibility, 12th leading scorer in SEC at more than 14 points per game), and Jalen Harris (junior transfer).

Musselman also has veteran guards in star junior-to-be Isaiah Joe, junior-to-be Desi Sills, and junior-to-be J.D. Notae in the mix. It remains to be seen whether or not Joe elects to leave early for the 2020 NBA Draft.

Another player in the portal who Arkansas has reached out to is Dwight Wilson III (6-8, 250, forward, James Madison junior transfer), who told Hogville.net on Thursday that he likes Arkansas's program.

"Just the best situation all around," Wilson said when asked what he's looking for in his next destination. "Arkansas is a great basketball school, so I'm definitely interested."

Wilson started 21 of 26 games in '19-20 and averaged 9.8 points and 9.3 rebounds in 22.8 minutes while shooting 53.4% from the field and 50.8% from the free throw line. His per-40-minute numbers were strong = 17.1 points and 16.3 rebounds. Given Arkansas's SEC-worst rebounding numbers in '19-20, an infusion of Wilson's size and rebounding prowess could benefit the Hogs' frontline corps.

Wilson reportedly has also heard from Florida, Cincinnati, DePaul, and Tulane among others. Unless granted a waiver by the NCAA for immediate playing eligibility or a change in transfer redshirt rules, Wilson will sit out the '20-21 season with one season to play in '21-22.

A source confirmed that Arkansas has reached out to two more transfers in the portal: Chevez Goodwin (6-9, 225, forward, Wofford grad-transfer, 11.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 64.0% field goals, one season of immediate playing eligibility in '20-21) and Tyrese Martin (6-6, 205, guard, Rhode Island sophomore transfer, 12.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 43.3% field goals, including 32.1% from 3, 66.2% free throws, sit one, play two).

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UPDATE / EDIT (4:04 p.m. CT, Thursday, March 26) ...

By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK -- Eric Musselman and the Arkansas Razorbacks coaching staff have seen their busiest week so far in the transfer portal, and here are the latest updates ...

* Hayden Koval (7-0, UCA junior transfer) ... a source has confirmed that Arkansas recently made initial inquries into the Prosper, TX, native who played with Razorbacks star guard Mason Jones at Link Prep (MO) in 2016-17 and was teammates this past season at UCA with 7-footer Brandon Vanover, the older brother of Arkansas redshirt sophomore and 7-3 stretch-5 Connor Vanover ... another source said Koval could graduate by December 2020, which means if not granted a waiver for immediate playing eligibility to start the 2020-21 season he could potentially become immediately eligible for the spring semester as a graduate ... averaged 12.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks (ranked fourth in NCAA) while shooting 45.9% from the field (including 31-of-95 from 3 for 32.6%) and 73.1% from the free throw line in 2019-20 ... recorded 12 career double-doubles and had one triple-double (as a freshman).

* Kevin Marfo (6-8, 245, forward, Quinnipiac junior transfer) told Rivals.com on March 23 that he has narrowed his list of schools down to 16, including Arkansas (the Hogs reached out to Marfo in mid-March after he entered the transfer portal) ... Marfo averaged an NCAA-best 13.3 rebounds to go with 10.2 points and and 1.2 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game while shooting 48.4% field goals and 71.0% free throws in 2019-20.

* Justin Turner (6-4 guard, Bowling Green grad-transfer) had good things to say about Eric Musselman in a recent podcast with college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman ... the schools he reportedly has been "talking to the most" are Arkansas, Missouri, Marquette, Louisville, and Xavier ... averaged 18.8 points on 42.7% field goal shooting (including 36.1% from 3) as a junior in 2019-20.

* Jordan Bruner (6-9 forward, Yale grad-transfer) entered the portal last week and has been contacted by Arkansas, and a source has confirmed mutual interest ... according to reporting by AllFactsMedia, Bruner has indicated that more than 50 schools have contacted him with the Hogs, Georgetown, Alabama, Maryland, and Baylor being "the most involved" ... averaged 10.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 blocks in 32.4 minutes per game while shooting 44.3% field goals (including 32.3% from 3) and 76.6% free throws to help Yale (23-7 overall) win the Ivy League with an 11-3 record.

* Ian DuBose (6-4 guard, Houston Baptist grad-transfer) was contacted by Arkansas according to reporting by multiple reports, and a source has confirmed he is interested in the Hogs ... has reportedly also heard from Ole Miss, North Carolina State, Clemson, USC, Stanford, Georgetown, Wake Forest, and DePaul among others ... averaged 19.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 43.9% from the field in 2019-20 and was named second team All Southland Conference. 

* Ishmael El-Amin (6-1 guard, Ball State grad-transfer) has heard from Arkansas according to multiple reports on March 26 ... Loyola Chicago, UNLV, Butler, San Diego State, Minnesota, Utah State, Wake Forest, UConn, and Cal have reportedly also reached out ... averaged 13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in in 32.4 minutes per game while shooting 42.9% from the field (including 77-of-196 from 3 for 39.3%) and 76.1% from th free throw line.

* Dwight Wilson III (6-8, 250, forward, James Madison junior transfer) has heard from Arkansas according to March 26 reporting by Rivals.com with Florida, Ohio, South Alabama, Cincinnati, Cleveland State, Radford, Tulane and DePaul also reaching out ... sit one, play one ... averaged 9.8 points and 9.3 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game while shooting 53.4% from the field in 2019-20.

* Trey Wertz (6-4 point guard, Santa Clara sophomore transfer) entered the portal recently and according to multiple reports Arkansas contacted him ... averaged 11.9 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 48.9% from the field (including 40% from 3) in 2019-20, and he made the West Coast Conference all freshman team in '18-19 after averaging 12 points and 4.7 assists ... reportedly has also heard from Arizona, Arizona State, Butler, Cincinnati, Clemson, Creighton, Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Princeton, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech among others.

* Isaiah White (6-7 wing, Utah Valley grad-transfer) was contacted by Arkansas after entering the portal last week, according to multiple reports ... averaged 14.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game in 2019-20 ... has reportedly also heard from Wake Forest, BYU, and other HM programs.

* Ed Croswell (6-8, 250, La Salle sophomore transfer), who was contacted a couple of weeks ago by Arkansas, committed to Providence on March 23 ... Croswell was the Explorers' leading rebounder (7.3 boards per game, including 3.5 offensive rebounds per game) and according to Sports-Reference.com he led the nation with an Offensive Rebounding Percentage of 18.7%.

* Erik Stevenson (6-3, 198, guard, Wichita State sophomore transfer), a west coast native who was contacted by Arkansas soon after entering the transfer portal over a week ago, committed to Washington this week.

* Grant Sherfield (6-2 guard, Wichita State transfer) entered the portal last week, Arkansas was one of the schools to reach out, but Sherfield on March 23 committed to Nevada where he'll play for Steve Alford, who originally signed Sherfield at UCLA before Alford was fired as Bruins head coach which resulted Sherfield getting out of his LOI on his way to Wichita State.

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For all previous Arkansas/transfer portal updates, click the Hogville.net link ...

https://forums.hogville.net/index.php?topic=711116.msg12753551#msg12753551