Idaho confirms four men’s basketball players in transfer portal

MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho men’s basketball team may have to restart its rebuild.

The Vandals’ Geno West, Cassius Smits-Francisco and Losini Kamara have joined Cameron Tyson in the NCAA transfer portal, signaling they’re looking for a new program, the university confirmed Tuesday. Skyline Sports reports that Xavier Smith is also in the portal.

The four confirmed players combined for 53 starts last season as Idaho went 5-27.

Riddled with injuries and without its top seven scorers from its 22-win 2017-18 team, Idaho limped through last season. The Vandals had just seven healthy players by the final buzzer of their 75-71 loss to Montana State in the Big Sky Conference Tournament on March 13.

Tyson was the first Vandal to put his name in the portal. The freshman was second on the team in scoring (13.5 ppg) and the best Vandal from beyond the arc (42.9 percent, 106 3-pointers). He broke freshman program records for 3-pointers and scoring.

Of the five players, only West and Tyson are no longer listed on Idaho’s 2019 roster. The players can still choose to return to Idaho.