This transfer prospect could solve Ross Hodge's offensive struggles at WVU

There's still a lot to play for over the next few weeks for the West Virginia Mountaineers, with the program still sitting in the NCAA Tournament bubble discussion entering the final two games of the regular season.

But one thing that is clear to everyone who has watched WVU play this season is that there has to be an answer on the other side of this upcoming offseason to the offensive struggles that have plagued the Mountaineers all season. WVU has been hampered fatally in several games by slow starts and poor offensive production, and it will raise concerns if that stays the same in Ross Hodge's second season next year.

WVU will also see their leading scorer, Honor Huff, run out of eligibility following this season. And when you're talking a player whose three-point performance this season currently ranks in the Top 5 all-time in program history. That's a lot of scoring production to replace.

But the Mountaineers might be able to snag a potential solution to both of those issues with one single move in the transfer portal this offseason. The Division 2 regular season has come to a close, and the leading scorer at that level has already let it be known that he's entering his name into the portal.

Division 2 standout Aidan McDowell emerges as potential prospect for West Virginia Mountaineers

Aidan McDowell spent the past season playing for a very lackluster Division 2 program in Western Colorado, who wrapped up their season at 10-18. But McDowell paced all scorers at the Division 2 level with 26.8 points per game across 28 contests this season, with a season single-game low of 15 points and nine games with 30 or more points scored.

McDowell is also quite lethal from three-point range, shooting at a 38% clip from behind-the-arc and converting 92 shots from deep this season. And while it's at a different level of the sport, it's worth noting for comparison that Huff has made 99 three-pointers through 29 games this season, with a 35% shooting percentage from deep range. Those are comparable numbers.

While there will certainly be other scorers in the portal this offseason, this 6-foot-4 sophomore guard with two seasons of eligibility remaining will be a hot target at the Division 1 level, and will earn himself a pretty penny to do so. And if Hodge wants to wrap up a big-time scorer early in the cycle (the portal will open April 7 and stay open through April 21), he can start now by pursuing a proven talent in McDowell.