Meet the Purple Aces' three new signees: Tanner Cuff, Braylon Jackson, Michael Day

EVANSVILLE — David Ragland has spoken at length about wanting to build a winning culture with the University of Evansville men’s basketball program. That starts with recruiting, where the Purple Aces have brought in three new faces in his first true signing class.

UE announced this week the signings of Salt Lake Community College transfer Tanner Cuff, Oldsmar Christian Academy guard Braylon Jackson and Albuquerque prep forward Michael Day. Ragland and the Aces' staff have traveled across the country to scout talent and inked those three in the early signing period.

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The Aces currently have 12 scholarship players on the roster, one shy of the 13 allotted after Blaise Beauchamp recently left the program. Fifth-year guard Marvin Coleman II also is the only player whose eligibility will expire, meaning these three signees put the Aces over the limit for next season. But in the era of the transfer portal, roster turnover is the norm year over year.

Gage Bobe, Antoine Smith Jr. and Kenny Strawbridge are all seniors academically and could elect to opt out or use their final year of eligibility elsewhere. Others could transfer, too.

Ragland said the three signees come from winning backgrounds and will help establish the culture he hopes to build.

“There’s a level of work and commitment that it takes to be as good of a player as we want to be and as good of a team as we want to be,” Ragland said. “Tanner, Braylon, Michael — they’re all gym rats. They love working on their game.”

Here’s a look at each of the three new Aces and what they bring to UE:

Tanner Cuff

Position: Point guard Height: 6-foot-6 Year: Junior

The lone player on this list with college experience, Cuff comes to UE from Salt Lake Community College, one of the premier junior-college programs in the country. In the most recent NJCAA poll, the Bruins are No. 1 in the country.

Cuff is a durable point guard who visited the Aces with his wife Jessica on Oct. 8, when he attended the UE volleyball game against Missouri State. He announced his commitment to the Aces on Nov. 10.

He held other offers from Vermont, UMBC and UMass Lowell. Although he’s dealt with a broken hand, he had 18 assists and four turnovers in four games prior to his injury. Last season, he averaged 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds with 72 assists and 54 steals.

“It really felt like home, it felt like they know what they’re doing and they have a great vision for what they want Evansville to be," Cuff said. “I know that Coach Rags is going in the right place with the team and he has a really good vision for what he wants.”

Ragland described Cuff as “a leader, he’s not afraid to hear his own voice” and the importance of having players with experience in modern college basketball.

“He’s long, he’s able to defend and compete on the defensive end,” Ragland said. “(He can) create for himself and create for others. (We’re) just excited to have him part of our program.”

Braylon Jackson

Position: Guard/Wing Height: 6-foot-5 Year: Freshman

Jackson is a versatile guard who can run the point, play on the wing and is a stand-up defender. Although he can likely play 1-through-4, he is likely to operate in the 2 or 3 spots for the Aces.

He took his official visit to UE on Oct. 21 and announced his commitment to the Aces on Halloween. Jackson had an offer from Chicago State and had reported interest from Texas Tech, George Mason and UMBC, among others.

“When I first got there, everybody was just treating me like family,” Jackson said. “It felt like a really great environment to be in. … Everybody was just treating me right.”

A native of Tampa, Florida, Jackson is a three-level scorer who was named to the All-Sunshine Independent Athletic Association second team last season. He is consistent from the perimeter and can play above the rim, as well.

“Braylon is wired to score in a variety of ways: At the rim, midrange and beyond the arc, which is much needed,” Ragland said. “He can play off his pivots to get past people, and again, pull-up, the midrange or get to the rim.

“He’ll be fun for a lot of our fans to watch.”

Michael Day

Position: Forward/Center Height: 6-foot-11 Year: Freshman

Ragland wants size on the floor. Day provides that, but also has versatility at the five spot.

He can step out and shoot from the perimeter and midrange while also having the ability to find a good pass. On the defensive end, he’s capable of blocking shots and grabbing rebounds. While UE was his only official D-1 offer, he had spoken to “about 20” Division I programs after an AAU tournament in California, Albuquerque Prep coach Brandon Mason said.

The Middleton, Idaho, native held an offer from Snow College, which is No. 19 in the latest NJCAA rankings. At the Grind Session GHO20 Showcase, Day averaged 12 points, 9.5 rebounds and two blocks.

“Michael is a guard-forward,” Ragland said. “Obviously fans are going to be excited because of his height, but then once they find out how well he passes it and his ability to shoot, that raises a lot of excitement as well.”

Day began his official visit to UE on Sept. 16 and committed four days later.

“The visit was amazing. I love the town, I love the community around Evansville,” Day said. “It’s a basketball community throughout all ages, they support the program really good. I love the team. … The facilities are amazing there, then obviously the staff is really great.”

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville basketball signs Tanner Cuff, Braylon Jackson, Michael Day