Fred Hoiberg alluded to some good recruiting news in the near future on Thursday, and on Saturday Nebraska picked up another transfer commit in Pitt combo-guard Trey McGowens III.
COMMITTED #GBR🌽 #PuBd pic.twitter.com/ieTpZrtj4g
— Trey McGowens 3rd (@Trey5mac_) April 4, 2020
The 6-foot-4, 190-pound guard will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at Nebraska after starting 64 of his 66 games as a Panther. He made an immediate impact as a freshman, averaging 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.7 assists and 2.4 turnovers in 27.8 minutes per game.
As a sophomore this season, he took a step forward as a playmaker, averaging 11.5 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 2.8 turnovers in 33.6 minutes per game.
He put up a seaon-high 25 points on 8-of-13 from the field and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line with eight rebounds, five assists and four steals against Robert Morris in the nonconference. Against North Carolina, he put up 24 points on 8-of-17 from the field, 4-of-8 from 3 and 4-of-6 from the line, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals.
He scored a career-high 33 points against Louisville as a freshman, shooting 12-of-19 from the field, 4-of-7 from 3 and 5-of-10 from the foul line. He followed it up with 30 points against Florida State two games later.
He shot 41.7% from the field and 32.7% from 3 as a freshman and 36.7% from the field and 31.1% from 3 this season. He’s an athletic guard who can play above the rim but will need to work on his perimeter jumper in Lincoln.
McGowens received a significant amount of interest after entering the transfer portal before narrowing his list down to five. Nebraska beat out Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn and Ole Miss for his services.
McGowens was a 4-star, top-100 recruit according to 247Sports’ Composite coming out of Hargrave Military Academy in 2018. He is originally from Pendleton, South Carolina, and spent his first three years at Wren High School before transferring to Hargrave for his senior year.
Unless the NCAA passes the one-time free transfer rule this offseason, McGowens will sit out this season. Nebraska will develop him as a point guard to take over for Western Illinois grad transfer Kobe Webster in 2021-22.
McGowens is the third transfer guard Nebraska has added following Wisconsin shooting guard Kobe King and Webster, replacing the three guards who have transferred out in Cam Mack, Dachon Burke Jr. and Haanif Cheatham.
Nebraska currently has one open scholarship remaining for 2020 after McGowens’ commitment. Look for the Huskers to add more depth to the frontcourt. Nebraska is still in the mix for Adama Sanogo, a 6-foot-9 2021 center from The Patrick School in New Jersey who recently cut his list to 10 (including Nebraska) and has the option to reclassify to 2020.
