Big 12 News and Notes: Cincinnati Lands Transfer Big, Conference Looks at 18 Games Next Year and More

The transfer portal news in the Big 12 has slowed down over the past week. Let’s take a look at what’s going on around the league.

Cincinnati Lands Transfer Big Aziz Bandaogo

Over the weekend Cincinnati picked up their fourth commitment from the transfer portal in big man Aziz Bandaogo. Bandaogo comes from Utah Valley after averaging 11.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.

NEWS: Utah Valley transfer Aziz Bandaogo has committed to Cincinnati, he tells @On3sports.

The 7-footer averaged 11.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game this past season. https://t.co/4OFLEsFWXy pic.twitter.com/J8SXAxh8JO

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) May 20, 2023

Bandaogo (7-foot) was named to the All-WAC First Team and was named the conference’s defensive player of the year. Bandaogo spent a year at Utah Valley before head coach Mark Madsen left for the Cal job. Bandaogo has two years of eligibility remaining.

Bandaogo joins CJ Fredrick (G – Kentucky), Simas Lukosius (G – Butler) and Jamille Reynolds (F – Temple) as the transfer additions for the Bearcats.

Click here to see how each Big 12 team is doing in the portal.

Big 12 Set to Have 18 Conference Games with 14 Teams

Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman reported on the Big 12 basketball conference schedule on Tuesday morning. Tramel included comments from Oklahoma State’s Athletic Director Chad Weiberg about staying at 18 games even with four new teams.

“Too far above that, and you start to have some limitations on other things you want to do. So we’re looking at a number right around what we’ve had,” Weiberg said.

The Big 12 will officially welcome BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF starting July 1. Texas and Oklahoma will remain in the conference for one more academic year before departing for the SEC in the summer of 2024. The Big 12 will have 14 teams for the 2023-24 season.

The rumor is that each team will play eight teams once and five teams twice.

WVU Scheduled to Host Tennessee Transfer Olivier Nkamhoua

West Virginia has scheduled a visit for Tennessee transfer Olivier Nkamhoua for May 27-28, a source tells WV Sports Now.

Nkamhoua (6-foot-8) started for the Volunteers this past season, as the team made the Sweet-16. Nkamhoua averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists through 36 games. Nkamhoua shot 51 percent from the field. The Finland native played four seasons for Tennessee.

Michigan is a school that has been linked with Nkamhoua’s recruitment all offseason. The Wolverines are coming off a week where they lost North Carolina transfer Caleb Love, who re-opened his recruitment.

Source: WVU Schedules Visit with Tennessee Transfer Olivier Nkamhoua