Checking in on 9 active Syracuse Basketball transfers
Prior to a new era of Syracuse basketball in 2023, numerous players transferred out of the program with eligibility remaining.
Syracuse has seen nine players leave for other Power Five schools in the past few years who are still playing collegiately.
During an up-and-down season for Clemson, one consistent positive piece has been the addition of fifth-year senior Joe Girard. The former four-year guard at Syracuse is the leader of a Tigers team fighting for an NCAA Tournament bid.
Last weekend Girard made his return to the Dome to face his former team, and delivered with 18 points on over 83 percent shooting in the big road win. He was the go-to guy late game as he has been all season for the Tigers.
Clemson head coach Brad Brownell has discussed how Girard has matured in his final season both on and off the court. His play backs this up, as the senior has shot at the highest clip of his college career this season with 43 percent shooting from the floor and the perimeter.
The move to stay in conference and head down south was a great decision for the CNY native as he continues to lead his team toward a tournament selection.
Following a successful four-year career at Syracuse, center Jesse Edwards hit NIL free agency and transferred to West Virginia. With his size and athleticism down low, Edwards was one of the most sought-after players in the portal.
Averaging over 30 minutes a game to date, Edwards was dominant on the glass and also as a scoring option. Still, West Virginia was off to a poor 4-6 start before the senior was injured in December against UMass.
After missing a month from a fractured wrist, Edwards has returned to a Mountaineers team that is in one of its worst seasons in recent history. The center’s minutes have been limited since his return, but he picked up 25 points and 10 rebounds against Cincinnati two weeks ago in just their third conference win.
Edwards is averaging 14.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and West Virginia is currently 8-16 (3-8 Big 12).
A native to Syracuse, Symir Torrence transferred to Binghamton after two stints playing for Power 5 teams in the Orange and Marquette. Struggling to see consistent playing time in the Syracuse backcourt, Torrence left for his final year of eligibility.
As expected, the fifth-year senior’s minutes jumped from 11 a game with the Orange to 32.9 with the Bearcats. He averages 8.6 ppg and a team-leading 7.3 apg and 6.0 rpg. At 6'3", Torrence has impressed with leading his team in rebounding.
Binghamton is 11-12 on the season and seventh in the American East Conference.
Starting in six games as a sophomore at Syracuse, Anselem averaged less than three points per game and had less than 50 total shots on the season. Transferring to Georgia he hoped to increase his minutes in a competitive conference.
Unfortunately, Anselem has struggled to fill a prominent role in the SEC as he has not played over 15 minutes in a game for Georgia this year. He averages under 2.5 points and rebounds per game as a backup center.
Now on his third college team, senior Quincy Guerrier has found his home this year at Illinois. The Fighting Illini at 18-6 are second in the Big 10 behind No. 2 Purdue and have been ranked all year.
Currently ranked No. 14, Illinois fought through the distraction of star guard Terrence Shannon Jr. getting arrested and then rejoining the team. Guerrier has filled in perfectly as a significant contributor and key piece for their success through all of this.
Despite being just 6’8", Guerrier has been effective as a make-shift center for an Illinois squad that lacks depth down low. The senior leads the team in rebounds, averaging 7.4 a game.
What makes Guerrier so influential is his efficiency. Averaging 10.7 points a game, the forward shoots over 47 percent from the floor. He continues to be an impact player on both sides of the court as Illinois prepares for an NCAA tournament run.
Coming off the bench as a freshman at Syracuse, Kadary Richmond’s natural athleticism and talent raised eyebrows around the country. After not playing as much as he wanted, Richmond left for the Big East.
At Seton Hall, Richmond has developed into an elite all-around guard. This year he’s leading the Pirates in scoring, assists, and steals, and is less than one rebound a game shy of their center for leading all categories.
Scoring over 16 points a game, Richmond has commanded the offense which included a 23-point win against UCONN where he also had eight steals. The No. 1 ranked Huskies have otherwise only lost to Seton Hall and Kansas.
The Pirates are 16-9 overall and third in the Big East as they continue to try and fight away from the NCAA tournament bubble.
Richmond’s playstyle consists of similarities to today’s Syracuse starting guards JJ Starling and Judah Mintz, making the decision to leave three years ago seem sound.
A four-star prospect out of Baltimore, Woody Newton started his collegiate career at Syracuse where he only played in 11 games before transferring to Oklahoma State.
Struggling to get consistent playing time in the Power Five, Newton transferred to George Mason his senior year. Playing in all 25 games so far but starting in just one, he averages under 6 points per game on 38.8% shooting off the bench.
At 6’9", Newton’s length at guard provides a unique skill set. Still, the guard has struggled to make a lasting impact offensively. His size limits his ability to score inside, and at 30 percent from the perimeter in his career, his shooting has been streaky.
Robert Braswell has had an extended college career, and currently in his sixth season of eligibility and third at Charlotte.
The 49ers are third in the American at 9-2 in the conference and 15-8 overall. Braswell comes off the bench and averages 6.6 points per game.
At forward, Braswell is under-sized and has struggled to be a dominant rebounder or paint protector defensively. He has never averaged over two rebounds per game in any of his six seasons.
Originally from New Bedford, Massachusetts, senior Brycen Goodine decided to transfer close to home in 2022 with his decision to attend Fairfield. After minimal playing time at Syracuse and Providence, Goodine’s decision panned out well.
The guard's production has skyrocketed at Fairfield, where this season he averages 13.8 points per game, shooting an impressive 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from the 3-point line. Before missing the last few games, Goodine lead D1 in 3-point shooting percentage.
The senior had a 40-point performance in just thirty minutes against Sienna in January.
Fairfield is second in the MAAC at 15-9 as Goodine continues to come off the bench as one of the most efficient shooters in the country.
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