We're only one weekend into the women's NCAA Tournament , but transfer portal chaos has already started. One of the biggest names that will enter the portal has already reportedly made a decision, with On3's Talia Goodman reporting that Penn State guard Kiyomi McMiller intends to leave Happy Valley .
McMiller is a huge potential addition for any contending program. She's bounced around so far, with her team next season set to be her third in three years on campus. But she averaged 21.6 points per game in 2025-26, so it's probably worth looking past her flaws.
One thing is very true about McMiller: She knows how to get buckets. She ranked fifth in field goals made this season as well as first in field goal attempts.
| Value |
Rank |
|
|---|---|---|
| FGM/G |
8.9 |
5th |
| FGA/G |
19.8 |
1st |
Efficiency is an obvious concern, but that will happen when a player is as high-usage as McMiller was. Turnovers are also a concern, as her 4.4 per game ranked among the most of any Division I player.
I think what I'm getting at here is that McMiller's next destination needs to be somewhere that can surround her with the requisite talent to help cut down on bad plays. A role where she can play a little more off the ball could be interesting, for example, as long as it doesn't come at the expense of letting McMiller do one thing she really excels at: midrange shooting. She ranked in the 83rd percentile last season in midrange efficiency while also ranking in the 99th percentile in attempts.
South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley waves to fans Monday, March 23, 2026, after the Gamecocks won in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. | Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network South Carolina / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
McMiller might not seem like a Dawn Staley player, but didn't we say the same thing when the 2024-25 leading scorer in the nation, Ta'Niya Latson, chose to transfer to South Carolina? It was a great decision for Latson; her scoring numbers may have gone down this season, but playing in Staley's system made her a more well-rounded player, better preparing her for the WNBA.
McMiller isn't as gifted a scorer as Latson, so going somewhere that will help her improve in other areas of her game seems like it might be even more important. She'd theoretically have two seasons in Columbia to work on her game. Plus, South Carolina is probably her best bet if she wants to end her college career with a championship.
Mar 6, 2026; Duluth, GA, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack head coach Wes Moore on the sideline against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second quarter at Gas South Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
NC State can offer McMiller a chance to be a lead scorer, but with the benefit of something she hasn't had thus far in her collegiate career: a strong supporting cast around her.
The Wolfpack are almost always among the best offensive teams in the nation, thanks in large part to head coach Wes Moore's system that emphasizes pace. It's also worth noting that NC State shoots an above-average number of midrange shots, playing into McMiller's strengths.
If McMiller still wants to be a high-usage player but in a situation where her team can actually win games, this landing spot makes a lot of sense.
Baylor women's basketball coach Nicki Collen instructs her team against Texas Tech in a Big 12 game Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, at United Supermarkets Arena. | Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Baylor's embarrassing second-round loss to Duke - in which the Bears scored just 46 points - put the program at a crossroads. Darianna Littlepage-Buggs is out of eligibility, which means this roster is basically Taliah Scott and ... your guess is as good as mine. There are solid role players, but the team could really use another major scoring threat.
Would a Scott and McMiller pairing work? Maybe! It's risky, because both are high-usage guards who don't get to the rim enough, but Scott's ability to shoot from deep should help open up space for McMiller to hit in the midrange.
McMiller would need to get more comfortable shooting 3-pointers, as that's an important part of head coach Nicki Collen's system. But with the Bears at a bit of an inflection point here as they've struggled to achieve the same success they had under Kim Mulkey, it might be time to take a big swing and see if that can get the team back toward the top of the Big 12.
Houston head coach Matthew Mitchell talks to his players during a Big 12 Conference women's basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in United Supermarkets Arena. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Cougars were one of McMiller's final spots she considered in the portal last year. She's exactly the kind of player Houston needs to bring in: someone who can create some buzz on Scott Street.
A move to Houston wouldn't be a move to a winning team. Despite hiring former SEC Coach of the Year Matthew Mitchell, the Coogs went 7-23 overall and 1-17 in Big 12 play this season. It was a nightmare start to Mitchell's tenure.
McMiller doesn't make Houston into contenders overnight, but she'd potentially be the start of something for a program that's really struggled since moving to the Big 12. Maybe, if McMiller has a strong junior campaign at Houston and returns for her senior season as well, that will be enough to convince some other players to join her, setting the Cougars up to at least be a competitive basketball team.
This article was originally published on www.fansided.com as 4 teams that should target Kiyomi McMiller in the transfer portal .
