Former Duke Assistant Lands Key Transfer as Miami Rebuilds Under New Coach

The Miami Hurricanes’ offseason rebuild gained serious momentum on Wednesday with a major pickup from the NCAA transfer portal. Freshman wing Marcus Allen, a Missouri transfer, officially committed to Miami, marking a key addition for the Hurricanes under new head coach Jai Lucas.

Allen, a 6-foot-6 guard from Norland High School in Miami, was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024, according to 247Sports. He originally chose Missouri over a host of high-profile programs including Miami, Florida State, and Indiana.

In his freshman season with the Tigers, Allen appeared in 26 games, averaging 9.2 minutes, 2.6 points, and 2.0 rebounds per game. His standout performance came on January 1, when he posted nine points, five rebounds, and three steals in 22 minutes against Auburn.

Allen’s decision to return home was announced on X via Joe Tipton of On3Sports. His commitment brings him back to familiar territory in South Florida and reunites him with a program that had shown early interest during his recruitment.

Now, he’ll suit up for Coach Lucas, a former McDonald’s All-American and longtime assistant who served at Texas and Kentucky before joining Duke’s staff in 2022. After helping lead the Blue Devils to a successful 2024-25 campaign under Jon Scheyer, Lucas was named Miami’s new head coach.

The Hurricanes are coming off a rough 7-24 season, finishing last in the ACC with a 3-17 conference record. Allen’s arrival provides much-needed wing depth and a potential spark as Miami looks to bounce back under new leadership.