Rice Owls are celebrating one of their own and all-time great and alumna, Erica Ogwumike for making the final 12-man national team roster of the Nigerian women’s basketball (D’Tigress) for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Rice Owls shortly after the announcement by the Nigerian women’s basketball on Monday 19th July 2021, took to their official website and social media handle to post a photo of Erica Ogwumike who is one of the famous Ogwumike sisters, to celebrate her decision to play for Nigeria and for making the final cut.
According to the post, Erica 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.
Coach Otis Hughley who led the Nigeria Women’s basketball team to the 2019 Afrobasket win in Senegal picked:
Adaora Elonu,
Aisha Balarabe,
Elizabeth Balogun,
Promise Amukamara,
Atonye Nyingifa,
Ezinne Kalu,
Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpannah and
Ify Ibekwe
The four players who are in line to make their competitive debut for Nigeria at the games are:
Oderah Chidom,
Victoria Macaulay,
Erica Ogwumike and
Amy Okonkwo
D’Tigress resumed Olympics camping in February and played series of tune up games as they are set to face USA, France and host-Japan.
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.