13d ago basketball Edit

Northern Kentucky transfer guard Marques Warrick commits to Mizzou

Drew King • PowerMizzou

Basketball Writer

Mizzou added its third transfer acquisition as senior guard Marques Warrick from Northern Kentucky committed to the Tigers on Wednesday. Warrick made his decision after taking a visit to Columbia, Mo., this past weekend, his agent told PowerMizzou.com.

"Going into the portal, I was just all about the fit, really, the style of play," Warrick said. "And you know, I felt like Missouri, it was just the best option for me. It just felt right, just having a connection with Coach (Dennis) Gates from the Horizon League. He already knew my game, so he knew what to expect from me. So I think I'll definitely be able to thrive at Mizzou."

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Warrick has long been a standout player in the Horizon League, earning Freshman of the Year honors in 2021 and being selected to the all-conference teams in each of the following three seasons. The Lexington, Ky. native matched up against Gates on four occasions during his first two years with the Norse while Gates was with Cleveland State, going 1-3 against the coach. Warrick said the Vikings were the only team in the conference he never beat on the road.

"I know was genuine, all the stuff he said about my game. And so yeah, it was a it was a good factor," Warrick said. "It was hard playing them, he had some good teams. They were disruptive on defense, you know, quick shots in transition. He took some of the same style that they did to Mizzou."

This year, Warrick led Northern Kentucky with a career-high 19.9 points per game to go along with 2.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.2 steals. He posted similar numbers during the 2022-23 season en route to helping the Norse win a Horizon League tournament championship and receive an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament. While Warrick shot 36.6% from the 3-point line through the first three seasons of his career, that number dipped to 29.8% this year.

Warrick sees himself fitting in well with the Tigers.

"They play fast," Warrick said. "You know, offensively, they want quick shots, like transition. That's part of where I played the best, in transition, you know, making reads, not only scoring but making plays for my team. So yeah, just having a team that locks in with each other and is unselfish. And they value defense, for sure. So I think those are the keys in terms of fit and style of play."

Coming from a mid-major, Warrick said Missouri's facilities while on his visit stood out to him while on his visit. Gates had success with Horizon League transfers during the ‘22-23 season at MU, with senior guards D’Moi Hodge, DeAndre Gholston and Tre Gomillion all earning prominent spots in the head coach’s rotation and helping the Tigers go 25-10 overall and win the program’s first game in the Big Dance in 13 years. Gates will now hope for the same kind of payoff with Warrick.

The 6-foot-2 guard chose Mizzou out of a list of top five schools that also included Cincinnati, Penn State, Seton Hall and USC. He’ll join an incoming group of newcomers that includes Tennessee Martin transfer forward Jacob Crews, Iowa transfer guard Tony Perkins and the No. 5-ranked recruiting class in the nation.

Warrick said he's hoping to get to campus "right away," likely sometime in early to mid-June after his transfer from Northern Kentucky is official. He's excited to see what he can accomplish with the black and gold in his final year of eligibility.

"Besides the basketball part, (I'm looking forward to) just connecting with the fans, the students," Warrick said. "You know, it will be a new experience for me just playing for our fan base like that. You know, they definitely pitched that and hyped that up that the Mizzou fan base is one of the best in the SEC for sure. And so, I can't wait to feel that, feel the love and support through the year."