Well, what a turn of events for the Quinnipiac men’s basketball team.

After losing to Iona in blowout fashion in its first game of the MAAC Tournament 72-48, along with All-MAAC Second Team forward Jacob Rigoni graduating and first-year guard Bol Akot entering the transfer portal, things were not looking up to begin the offseason.

However, an old face is returning to the People’s United Center as forward Kevin Marfo, a year after transferring to Texas A&M, will rejoin the Bobcats next season. All Facts Media first reported the news.

Marfo will team up in the frontcourt with rising junior Seth Pinkney, who is coming off a breakout year in his first season as Quinnipiac’s starting center.

This will definitely have a huge impact on Baker Dunleavy’s squad next year, especially in its chase to win its first ever MAAC Championship.

Rebounding

It’s no secret that Marfo’s presence is felt on the boards. In his last year for the Bobcats, he led not only the MAAC but the county in rebounding with 13.3 per game. At Texas A&M his production dipped but still was able to grab 63 rebounds in only 219 minutes.

The Bobcats struggled last year attacking the glass, as Rigoni, not the 7-foot-1 Pinkney, led the team in boards with 6.3 per game.

For a Quinnipiac team that struggled to get rebounds and second-chance opportunities, Marfo’s return will be huge to help their young team finish stops on defense and get another opportunity for their offense.

Depth

Last year, the Bobcats lacked real depth in the frontcourt. Pinkney struggled with fouls and redshirt first-year J.J. Riggins saw a lot of time at the center position. The team even had lineups with Rigoni — typically a stretch four — in at the five.

The team was very guard-heavy, but now with Marfo and Pinkney as well as Riggins being in the paint for the Bobcats, they can bring more size to the table against teams with dominant centers like Iona and Saint Peter’s.

Development

Last year’s Quinnipiac team was very young, and definitely needed more leadership in order to develop.

Rigoni and Jack Higgins were the only seniors on the team, but it had two All-Rookie selections in Tymu Chenery and Luis Kortright.

Inserting Marfo and his SEC experience back into the lineup, with all the players having more experience, will just help the team develop even more. Look for Chenery, Kortright, Pinkney, and the rest of the team to have an easier time growing as players and as a team with the leadership Marfo will bring.

All in all, look for Marfo’s presence back in the paint for the Bobcats to make them instant contenders for the MAAC title next year.