STARKVILLE — Mississippi State basketball guard Riley Kugel has entered the transfer portal, according to a report from On3 on Wednesday.
Kugel transferred from Florida this season and made 14 starts, averaging 9.3 points, 3.0 rebound and 1.5 assists per game. There were times when the junior was the best player on the floor, like when he scored 21 points in a win versus Ole Miss and 19 points in a win at Memphis, but he struggled with inconsistencies.
Kugel is the sixth Bulldog to enter the transfer portal.
The portal opened on March 24, three days after MSU (21-13) was eliminated by Baylor in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
How Riley Kugel entering transfer portal impacts Mississippi State basketball
The MSU basketball roster appears headed for a massive turnover for next season, especially after star Josh Hubbard declared for the NBA draft on Tuesday. He's maintaining his eligibility, but if Hubbard doesn't return, the Bulldogs will lose seven of their top eight scorers from this season.
Kugel had a high ceiling, but also a low floor. Perhaps another year in coach Chris Jans' program could've smoothened that out, but Kugel will instead head for his third team in three seasons.
Mississippi State has question marks at guard. Claudell Harris Jr. is out of eligibility, and Kanye Clary is in the transfer portal after suffering a season-ending injury in November. If Hubbard stays in the NBA draft, that leaves MSU with only two guards returning who played in the rotation: Shawn Jones Jr., who's more of a defensive wing player, and Dellquan Warren, a freshman who struggled with decision making.
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