Missouri Quietly Building SEC Contender With Three Major Transfer Commitments

The Tigers have landed three high-profile transfers to bolster their roster for next season.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 1:20am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the abstracted forms of college basketball players on a court, with the arena fading into the background in a fractured, multi-perspective style.Missouri's roster overhaul through the transfer portal aims to reshape the Tigers into an SEC title contender.St. Louis Today

After making the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons, Missouri is looking to take the next step and compete at the top of the SEC. The Tigers have landed three major transfer commitments - Jaylen Carey from Tennessee, Jamier Jones from Providence, and Bryson Tiller from Kansas - as they aim to replace their top two scorers from last season and make a deeper run in the NCAA Tournament.

Why it matters

Missouri has not made the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2010, and the program is hoping these transfer additions can help them break through and become a true contender in the SEC. The Tigers have been to the tournament in consecutive seasons but failed to advance past the first round, and these new players could provide the boost they need to take the next step.

The details

Carey, Jones, and Tiller all come to Missouri with high expectations. Carey is looking to have a bigger impact after averaging just 7.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game at Tennessee. Jones was one of the best freshmen in the Big East at Providence, putting up 11.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Tiller, a former 5-star recruit, showed promise as a freshman at Kansas, averaging 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.

  • Missouri made the NCAA Tournament in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.

The players

Jaylen Carey

A transfer from Tennessee, where he averaged 7.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.

Jamier Jones

A transfer from Providence, where he was one of the best freshmen in the Big East, averaging 11.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Bryson Tiller

A transfer from Kansas, where he was a former 5-star recruit and averaged 7.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game as a freshman.

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What’s next

The Tigers will look to integrate their three new transfer additions into the lineup and build off their back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances as they aim to make a deeper run in the tournament next season.

The takeaway

Missouri's trio of high-profile transfer additions has the potential to transform the Tigers into a legitimate SEC contender and NCAA Tournament threat after they've fallen short of reaching the second weekend in recent years. The new players bring size, scoring ability, and experience that could help the program take the next step.