Breaking down Northern Iowa transfer Noah Carter's fit with VT.

Northern Iowa star Noah Carter is one of the best prospects currently available in the transfer portal. Carter has trimmed his list to five finalists, according to Stadium's college basketball insider Jeff Goodman. Arkansas, Marquette, Virginia Tech, Florida and Missouri made the cut for the bucket-getting forward.
Carter has played in 84 games for Northern Iowa over the past three seasons. He will have two years of eligibility remaining. Carter averaged 15.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in 26 minutes of playing time for the Panthers. Carter had a whopping 28% usage rate.
The 6-foot-6, 229-pound forward was one of the most versatile players in the country. Northern Iowa played Carter at both the four and five. Carter drained 40 3-pointers, and his game is eerily similar to Colorado State superstar David Roddy. Carter can handle it on the perimeter, guard multiple positions and also whip passes all over the court. He's not just a pick-and-pop shooter either. Carter shot 78% at the rim, and his barrage of floaters, runners and hook shots in the lane makes him a tough cover. Plus, he's got the athleticism to run the floor in transition for rim-rattling dunks.

Virginia Tech's frontcourt could look really different next year. Keve Aluma and Justyn Mutts could both be gone. Virginia Tech has some really nice pieces in the backcourt. Freshman guard Sean Pedulla looks like a future multi-year starter. Pedulla, Nahiem Alleyne, Darius Maddox and Hunter Cattoor form a four-headed backcourt that could be really good next year. But a silky-smooth forward like Carter would be just what Virginia Tech needs.

Virginia Tech coach Mike Young runs some of the best sets in the country. The Hokies ranked 17th in offensive efficiency on KenPom in 2021-22. Carter's ability to move without the basketball would be on full display. Bigs in Virginia Tech's offense have to be able to pass, and that's an underrated aspect of Carter's game. He had a 16.3 assist rate this past season which was a massive jump. Carter might have only averaged 1.8 assists, but he came on strong as a passer down the stretch. Carter had three games with five-plus assists in Northern Iowa's last 16 games. Plus, if Mutts or Aluma decide to use their COVID year and come back, Carter projects to play well with both of them.