Will Indiana try one more time?
Former North Carolina guard Caleb Love has decommitted from Michigan and is back in the transfer portal.
Multiple reports indicate there was an admissions issue at Michigan related to credits not transferring from North Carolina.
IU tried to recruit Love as a high school product out of St. Louis, and again when he entered the portal following the 2022-23 season.
Adam Zagoria, who is a respected and well connected journalist who covers college basketball, said on Wednesday to watch out for Indiana and Missouri as possible destinations for Love. Those are two schools that have been involved with him each time he’s been available, from high school to his first entry into the transfer portal in March. Texas is also a possible landing spot for Love, and the list of suitors could widen.
The IU staff had a Zoom call with Love in March, but things didn’t go much further than that. He chose Michigan, and Missouri was believed to be his second choice.
Love averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game as a junior in Chapel Hill.
For his three-year college career, Love has made 39.7 percent of his two-point shots and 31.7 percent from three. Those percentages come along with high usage (25.7 percent, No. 286 nationally in 2022-23) and percentage of his team’s shots (28.4 percent, No. 158). Love is a career 81.5 percent free throw shooter. He improved his turnover rate from 24.6 percent as a freshman to 15.2 percent this season.
He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Indiana’s roster is obviously quite a bit different since the last time they spoke with Love. It isn’t clear whether they will once again pursue the former 5-star recruit who helped lead UNC to to the national title game in 2022.
On paper, Love is a fit for IU’s roster. The Hoosiers are widely thought to be seeking a high-scoring guard to fill their final roster opening. He could certainly elevate the roster if he can become a more efficient scorer.
Stay tuned for updates on where this goes.