(Release from Rice University Athletics)
HOUSTON – The Nigerian women's basketball program announced the national team roster for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics on Monday (July 19), and Rice all-time great and alumna Erica Ogwumike is among the players who made the cut.
Ogwumike, who played for the Owls from 2017-20, is one of the most decorated players in program history and was a 2020 WNBA Draft selection before entering med school. She became the fourth player in Rice history to be drafted in the WNBA.
Ogwumike won consecutive Conference USA Player of the Year awards and was a WBCA All-American Honorable Mention her senior season after averaging 19 points and 10.3 rebounds.
A member of the illustrious 2,000 points/1,000 rebounds club, Ogwumike concluded her three-year Rice career ranked first in scoring (17.7 ppg), second in rebounding average (10.1 rpg), third in free throw percentage (81.4%), fourth in made free throws (421), fifth in rebounds (921) and sixth in total points (1,597).
In her career, Ogwumike helped lead the Owls to two conference titles and 72 wins over three seasons, the greatest stretch in program history.
Team Nigeria's first game of the Olympics in Tokyo will be against the United States on Tuesday, July 27 at 11:40 p.m. (CT) from Saitama Super Arena. They reside in Group B along with France, Japan, and USA.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
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