College Basketball: Four sleeper transfers off to hot starts to the season

We are one week into the college basketball season. What better time to start talking about sleepers? Sure the sample size is small, but transfers are a hot topic. So are guys who could be overlooked and are overperforming.

Most teams across the college basketball landscape have played two or three games. So I wanted to take a look at the transfers who could have played their into more buzz with hot starts to their seasons.

NEW College Basketball Week 2 Top 25

So. G PJ Haggerty (Memphis)

PJ Haggerty averaged 21.1 points at Tulsa last season, leading the league and earning AAC Rookie of the Year honors. After a transfer to Memphis, Haggerty is off to a staggering start to his redshirt sophomore campaign putting up 27.0 points through his first two. Haggerty’s superpower is getting to the free-throw line. He has a slippery handle, the ability to touch the paint, and he simply absorbs contact at a high rate. After leading the AAC in free throws made ed last season, he is currently top 15 in NCAA Division 1 shooting 11.5 free throws per game. Memphis currently is off to a 2-0 start with intriguing wins over Missouri and UNLV.

Jr. G Brendan Hausen (Kansas State)

Brendan Hausen entered college ranked as a top 50 prospect by On3. After two relatively fruitless seasons at Villanova, a combined 13.4 minutes and 4.7 points per game, he has had the green light at Kansas State through his first two games. His 19.0 points lead the way for the Wildcats but he has also attempted 9.0 threes per game where he is connecting on 55.6 percent of his attempts. Hausen is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard originally from Amarillo, Texas, he is a career 40-plus percent shooter and a tireless worker off-ball.

Sr. F Cedric Coward (Washington State)

Cedric Coward followed his coach David Riley from Eastern Washington to Washington State this offseason. The Cougars are now off to a 3-0 start. Coward has been a central piece in the offense as the 6-foot-6 forward is averaging 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game to this point. His efficiency has been impressive so far, as his 15.0 points are coming off 7.0 shots per game and he is shooting 46.2 percent from three with a 71.4 effective field goal percentage. Coward has also made his mark picking up 3.6 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game. He is currently second on Washington in points, rebounds, assists, and steals while his 2.3 per game leads the way in blocks.

Jr. G Ryan Conwell (Xavier)

Ryan Conwell transferred this offseason to Xavier from Indiana State. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard, originally from Indianapolis, averaged 16.6 points while shooting 40.7 percent from three in his lone season with the Sycamores. So far, through two games this season, Conwell is off to a scorching hot start averaging 20.0 points while going 4-8 from three. While each of his first two games were against directional-type schools, Conwell has been steady in his scoring prowess. Xavier comes into the season as a sleeper team in the Big East. Sean Miller brought in a handful of transfers as well as two frontcourt players who missed the majority of last season. Through two games, and an early 2-0 record, Conwell looks to be a central piece as he leads the Musketeers in points, minutes, and field goals attempted per game.