NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Niagara head men's basketball coach Greg Paulus has announced the addition of seven transfers to finalize the Purple Eagles 2023-24 roster.
 
Joining the Purple and White next season are Randy Tucker (Green Bay), Aime Rutayisire (Barton-NJCAA), Quandre Bullock (LA Tech), Luke Bumbalough (Ball State), Yaw Obeng-Mensah (UMBC), Kwane Marble (Loyola Marymount), and Malik Edwards (William Penn-NAIA).
 
"We are thrilled to welcome this class to Niagara University and the basketball program," commented Paulus. "We were looking for student-athletes who were excited and appreciative of the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves. We look forward to their positive influence in the community, on campus, and as a member of our basketball team."
 
Tucker played 62 games at Green Bay over the last two seasons, averaging 6.0 points and 3.2 rebounds per contest. In 2022-23, the Rock Island, Ill., native scored 8.4 points per game with 13 games in double-figures, including a season-high of 20 points in the season finale against Wright State. Tucker reached double-figures in the scoring column 14 times in two seasons with the Pheonix. 
 
Paulus on Tucker: "Randy is an experienced player. He won a National Championship at Vincennes University. His length and size allow him to guard multiple positions while making open shots." 
 
Rutayisire is a 6-foot-8 forward entering his sophomore season after playing one season at Barton (NJCAA). He appeared in 29 games, averaging 7.2 points per game with a field goal percentage of 62.3 percent. He scored a season-high 17 points on three occasions, including twice in a five-game stretch where he averaged 12.2 points while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor. Rutayisire added 3.7 rebounds and just under one assist per contest. 
 
Paulus on Rutayisire: "Aime is a big who knows how to play, communicates at a high level, and impacts the team in many ways that don't show up in the stat sheet." 
 
Bullock is coming off his junior season at Louisiana Tech, where he averaged 18.1 minutes per game in 29 games. He finished the season averaging 5.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest. He scored a season-high 12 points on Jan. 7 against UTEP, going 6-for-8 from the field. The Franklinton, North Carolina, native finished the year with six double-digit outings. 
 
Paulus on Bullock: "Dre is a two-way player. His skill, athleticism, and versatility will allow him to play multiple positions and make winning plays."  
 
Bumbalough was a four-year member of the men's basketball program at Ball State, where he finished his career seventh all-time in 3-pointers made, fifth in 3-point attempts, third in 3-pointers made in a season, and second in 3-pointers attempted in a season. As a junior, Bumbalough averaged a career-best 10.9 points per game. In 2022-23, the New Castle, Ind., native averaged 2.3 points in 17.1 minutes per contest. In four seasons, Bumbalough registered 37 games with double-figures, and scored a career-high 21 on two occasions during his junior season. 
 
Paulus on Bumbalough: "Luke was the first to commit in the spring. He's a competitive, instinctual guard that has demonstrated over four years the ability to value the basketball and make open shots."
 
Obeng-Mensah played the 2022-23 season at UMBC, starting 31 of 32 games for the Retrievers. He finished the season with 8.5 points and a team-best 6.4 rebounds per game, shooting 50.4 percent from the field. He recorded four double-doubles, a career-high 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting against Maine, and career-best 16 boards at Vermont. He finished his two seasons at UMBC with 15 career double-figure games. 
 
Paulus on Obeng-Mensah: "Yaw's energy is contagious. He is a versatile player that has a high level of production. He has a high motor and impacts winning on both ends of the court."
 
Marble played the previous two seasons at Loyola Marymount. As a senior, Marble played in 24 games averaging 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds per contest. After scoring 10 points off the bench against Gonzaga, Marble started the final three games of the season and, in his final game at LMU, tallied a season-high 11 points. Before LMU, Marble spent the previous two seasons at Wyoming, where he averaged 9.3 points per game and earned a spot on the Mountain West All-Tournament team in 2020-21. In his four-year career, Marble has reached double-digit scoring numbers 27 times and scored a career-high 24 as a freshman vs. Nevada. 
 
Paulus on Marble: "Kwane has played a lot of college basketball during his career. He is an efficient basketball player who has been well coached and plays the game at his own pace."
 
Edwards played his freshman and sophomore seasons at NAIA National Champion runner-up William Penn, where he scored 16.6 points per game and was named an NAIA All-American as a sophomore. This season the guard recorded 15 games with 20 or more points, including a season-high 32 against Great Lakes Christian. Edwards helped lead William Penn to a 61-6 record in his tenure. 
 
Paulus on Edwards: "Malik comes from a program with great tradition and success. He has improved each year in college. His ability to make shots in various ways is a strength that will help stretch the floor." 
 
Niagara will also welcome in true freshman Ahmad Henderson II (Monee, Illl.) while welcoming back six student-athletes from 2022-23; Lance Erving, David Mitchell, Braxton Bayless, Harlan Obioha, Donovan Hill, and Jalen Brown.
 
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