National analyst 'likes the Vols' chances' for Tennessee to land coveted guard out of the NCAA transfer portal
The Tennessee Vols are set to lose six seniors from this season's squad that reached the Elite Eight, which means it's imperative that Rick Barnes and his staff make some strong additions to the roster via the NCAA transfer portal. One player that Tennessee could be on the verge of landing is Virginia transfer guard […]
The Tennessee Vols are set to lose six seniors from this season's squad that reached the Elite Eight, which means it's imperative that Rick Barnes and his staff make some strong additions to the roster via the NCAA transfer portal.
One player that Tennessee could be on the verge of landing is Virginia transfer guard Isaac McKneely.
McKneely, 6-foot-4/188 lbs from Poca, WV, averaged 14.4 points per game for the Cavaliers this past season while connecting on 42 percent of his three-point attempts. He also averaged 2.7 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists per game.
The coveted transfer guard visited Louisville on Sunday. He's expected to visit Tennessee on Tuesday.
According to On3's Joe Tipton, a decision is expected shortly after McKneely's visit to Tennessee this week.
Tipton noted on Monday that he likes the Vols' chances of landing McKneely, while cautioning that Louisville can't be counted out quite yet.
"A decision is expected soon after his trip to Knoxville," wrote Tipton. "A return to Virginia at this point is unlikely. It sounds like North Carolina is fading. This is shaping up to be a two-team race between Louisville and Tennessee. I like the Vols chances but I’m not counting out the Cards."
Tennessee has a strong reputation with transfers thanks to the recent success of players like Dalton Knecht, Chaz Lanier, and Jordan Gainey. And that success could be what ultimately tips this battle in Tennessee's favor.
McKneely, if he lands with Tennessee, will just be one part of the offseason puzzle for Barnes and his staff. There will still be plenty of work to be done to rebuild a roster that's losing some seemingly irreplaceable players.
Landing McKneely, however, would certainly be a great start to the offseason for the Volunteers.
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