MAC Player of the Year Dennis transfers to Baylor

Toledo transfer RayJ Dennis, the reigning MAC Player of the Year, committed to Baylor on Thursday, he told ESPN.

Dennis chose the Bears over Illinois, Michigan and Utah. He was arguably the best available guard in the men’s basketball transfer portal.

“It was all about the fit and how good of a job Coach [Scott] Drew does with his guards,” Dennis told ESPN. “How good of people they are, as well.”

The 6-foot-2 Dennis averaged 19.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists last season, leading Toledo to a 27-8 record and Mid-American Conference regular-season championship. The Rockets won 17 games in a row before falling in the conference tournament title game to Kent State. He scored in double figures every game last season.

Dennis began his college career at Boise State, spending two years with the Broncos before transferring to Toledo. He averaged 6.2 points at Boise, improving to 16.2 points over his past two seasons at Toledo. His biggest step forward came as a shooter, as he went from hitting 27.6% from 3-point range as a freshman and sophomore to 34.9% as a junior and senior.

Dennis is the second guard added by Drew via the transfer portal this spring, following former VCU player Jayden Nunn.

Both Dennis and Nunn could push for starting jobs right away, given that Baylor lost perimeter starters Keyonte George, Adam Flagler and LJ Cryer. Top-10 recruit Ja’Kobe Walter will also immediately factor into the backcourt situation.