Old Florida Basketball guard Riley Kugel has found a new home.
After trying to land at Kansas, the 6-foot-5 Kugel announced on social media Thursday that he is committed to Mississippi State.
Kugel averaged 9.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 33 games (11 starts) for Florida alligators in 2023-24. A preseason All-SEC selection, Kugel lost his starting role shortly before the start of conference play and came off the bench behind Walter Clayton Jr., Zyon Pullin and Will Richard.
Days after Florida’s season ended with a 102-100 overtime loss to Colorado in the NCAA tournament, Kugel announced he was entering the transfer portal. He initially committed to Kansas, but on the March Madness podcast in early May, Kansas coach Bill Self said it was “up in the air” whether Kugel would end up signing with the Jayhawks.
Now, Kugel appears to be headed to Mississippi State, where he initially stayed at Dr. Phillips High in Orlando. But Kugel changed his mind and signed with the Gators before the start of the 2022-23 season after MSU fired Ben Howland and replaced him with Chris Jans.
Kugel will not make a return trip to the O’Connell Center as Florida will play Mississippi State in 2024-25. The SEC opponents for all men’s basketball schools were released earlier this week.
Another former Florida basketball guard arrives at UNLV
Another former Florida basketball guard who entered the transfer portal, Julian Rishwain, announced on social media that he will play at UNLV next season.
The 6-foot-2 Rishwain appeared in just eight games for the Gators and was not in the rotation when the SEC schedule began. He averaged 1.6 points and 1.6 rebounds for UF, shooting 36.4 percent from the field and 40 percent (4 of 10) from 3-point range.
This article originally appeared in The Gainesville Sun: Former Florida basketball guard Riley Kugel commits to Mississippi State
