"He is going to be a huge help for our ballclub" - Indiana HC Mike Woodson on star guard transfer Myles Rice

Indiana Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson is clearly excited about his new recruit Myles Rice, who transferred from Washington State to Bloomington after two seasons with the Cougars.

The former NBA coach went on record to praise Rice's talents (via The Indiana Daily Student):

“Myles is a savvy, downhill guard that really succeeds in pick-and-roll situations. He is a three-level scorer that makes the right play consistently, whether that is getting to the rim or finding the open man.

"He is going to be a huge help for our ballclub, and we are very excited to welcome him and his family to Bloomington.”

Myles Rice started all 35 games for Washington State last season and was one of the best players on the team. He redshirted his freshman year in 2021-2022 and continued redshirting the next year (via WSUCougars.com). He was finally cleared by the 2023 season and showed out.

Despite being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a rare type of cancer, Rice played like a true combo guard and was instrumental in helping WSU make its first NCAA Tournament in 16 years. After ending the season ranked second in the Pac-12, WSU beat Drake in the first round to advance to the round of 32.

However, their season ended with a loss to Iowa State in the second round. Myles Rice decided to enter the transfer portal and try his luck elsewhere, eventually signing with Woodson and the Hoosiers in the offseason. He joins fellow transfers Kanaan Carlyle (Stanford), Oumar Ballo (Arizona) and Luke Goode (Illinois).

Rice averaged 14.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists on 43.9% FG shooting. He was also quite the defensive player for the Cougs, tallying 1.6 steals per game, and led the team in both assists and steals.

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Indiana's other new recruits at a glance

With Myles Rice expected to be the starting point guard for Indiana, here's a look at the pieces Mike Woodson is surrounding him with ahead of the 2024-2025 season.

Kanaan Carlyle

He veraged 11.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in his freshman year in Palo Alto, on 25.6 minutes per game. These numbers could put him in the backup role to Rice, but things could still get shaken up.

Oumar Ballo

Ballo was an efficient, consistent double-double machine for Arizona with 12.9 points and 10.1 rebounds on 65.8% FG shooting. The seven-foot senior out of Koulikoro, Mali is also likely going to be a starter.

Luke Goode

At Illinois, Goode tallied modest numbers as a six-foot-seven forward with a decent 3-point shot. He has the potential to be a good floor spacer for Indiana if he gets enough reps and his rhythm stays consistent.