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Mississippi State Bulldogs lose one of their top guards to transfer portal

This is another transfer that isn't too much of a surprise for Mississippi State fans.
ByAndrew Miller|
Mar 21, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Riley Kugel (2) passes the ball against the Baylor Bears during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
Mar 21, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Riley Kugel (2) passes the ball against the Baylor Bears during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Mississippi State basketball has already seen several players hit the transfer portal since the start of the offseason. Five Bulldogs, most notably starting center Michael Nwoko, had made it known they will be playing elsewhere for the 2025-2026 season. Now, a sixth will be transferring out, one of their top options in the backcourt this season.

Mississippi State Bulldogs guard Riley Kugel enters transfer portal

On Wednesday, news broke that Mississippi State junior guard Riley Kugel had entered the transfer portal. The 6-5, 210 Orlando native transferred to Starkville last offseason as one of their top portal additions after playing his first two years at Florida. Kugel started 14 games for the Bulldogs, averaging 9.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.

Riley Kugel managed 17 double-digit scoring performances this season, going for at least 20 on three occasions. From late in non-conference play through the first stretch of SEC games, Kugel proved to be one of the most valuable offensive pieces on the team, often providing a spark off the bench. He most notably hit a massive go-ahead three in overtime against Ole Miss in Starkville to help push the Bulldogs to a win.

That being said, Kugel's decision to transfer does not come as much of a surprise. Despite a handful of strong games, he never found the consistency everyone hoped for over the course of the season. Poor shooting nights came with far too much regularity, and careless plays led to costly turnovers in big games.

His ability is undeniably there, but he never quite seemed to fit at Mississippi State. Couple that with his inconsistency, and you can see why he's moving on after just one season. Nonetheless, that's still production that must now be replaced in the backcourt.

As it stands currently, the Bulldogs will return their top two scorers, assuming Josh Hubbard chooses to withdraw from the NBA Draft, but lose their next five from this season (excluding Kanye Clary who played just seven games). Outside of Hubbard, State has no proven scorers returning in the backcourt. Adding multiple guards through the transfer portal will be one of the biggest priorities off the offseason for Chris Jans.

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