2000-01 SEASON CAPSULE HIGHLIGHTS
Senior forward who closed his career in fine fashion ... Scored in double figures in last 3 games of the year ... Averaged 10.5 points in MU’s two NCAA Tournament games, scoring 10 points (and adding 7 rebounds) in the opener vs. Georgia, and adding 11 more in the 2nd round vs. #1 Duke ... Turned heads with one move in the Duke game, when he made a spin move around Blue Devil first-team all-American Jason Williams at the top of the key, then drove down the lane for a dunk attempt ... Ended the season with averages of 6.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and had career numbers of 7.8 points and 6.5 rebounds ... Started in all 64 games in 2-year Tiger career, and was the only Tiger to start in every game under Quin Snyder ... Had a solid performance at Big 12 Tournament, averaging 9.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in two Tiger games ... Notched 3rd double-double of the season, with 10 pts. and 11 rebs. March 9th vs. Oklahoma ... Was named to the All-Academic Big 12 Second Team ... Had 4 pts. & 7 rebs. March 4 at #10 Kansas in 31 minutes of play ... Tied season high w/16 pts. at Texas A&M (Feb. 17), on 5-of-9 FGs and 6-of-6 FTs ... Was held in check offensively during league play, as he averaged just 4.7 ppg in Big 12 games (8.8 non-conference), and shot 32.2% from the floor ... Ranked 18th among Big 12 leaders in rebounding, with a per-game average of 6.6 ... Made 38-of-45 FTs in last 14 games (84.4%), and is connected at a 78.0% rate this season, a nice improvement from 63.1% last season ... Had tough outing at ISU, as foul trouble limited him to season-low 11 minutes ... Was held to season-low 0 pts. & 1 reb. vs. ISU ... Had 4 pts. but added game-high 8 rebs. vs. K-State (Feb. 7) ... Had 6 pts. & 6 rebs. at OSU in 16 minutes of action ... Held to 3 pts. on just 3 FGAs vs. ISU (Jan. 13), but added 8 rebs. in 39 mins., including rebound as time ran out in 4th OT to seal 112-109 win ... Had workmanlike 5-pt., 8-reb. outing at CU ... Had just 4 pts. vs. Neb. (Jan. 6), but was still a hero as he added 7 rebs. and grabbed game-saving steal on inbounds pass with 1.7 seconds left to save the win ... Notched 2nd double-double of season vs. Coastal Carolina, with 16 pts./12 rebs. ... Notched 1st double-double of the season w/10 pts. & 10 rebs. at Iowa ... Followed with 15-rebound performance at Indiana, with 7 offensive boards ... Has double-figure rebounds in 6 games this season ... Had 10 rebounds vs. DePaul, and was key in helping Tigers grab 38-26 advantage on the boards ... Had season-high 15 pts. vs. UTPA, and was 9-of-9 on FTs ... Had 11 pts. vs. Syracuse in Alaska title game, on the strength of 9-of-10 FT night ... Helped MU control the boards vs. URI, grabbing 12 rebounds, including 8 in the decisive second half ... Added 8 pts. on the night ... Had 12 pts. and 8 rebs. in Tigers’ opener vs. Savannah State, hitting 3-of-5 field goals ... Was a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line, as well.
1999-2000 SEASON - Junior college transfer who started all 31 games at
center, and gave MU solid contributions, despite matching up against taller
opposition virtually each game ... Was MU's 4th-leading scorer (8.8 ppg) and
the team's top rebounder (6.3 rpg) ... Led the squad with a field goal
percentage of 51.0% ... Grabbed 9 rebounds at Kansas, and added 5 pts.,
including 3-of-4 FTs in the game's final minute ... Hit both ends of a
one-and-one to give MU its final lead, at 80-79, with just 1:49 left in the
game ... Grabbed 10 rebs. at OU on Feb. 26th, just one shy of career high
... Had 12 pts. at Texas Tech, including five straight huge pts. in final
two minutes of the game ... Scored 6 pts. vs. Texas, but grabbed 8 rebounds,
and helped hold Chris Mihm in check (15 pts./7 rebs.) ... Foul trouble
limited him to 22 minutes against ISU, and Marcus Fizer benefited from his
absence, going for 28 pts. and 12 rebs. ... When he played 26 minutes or
more, the Tigers were 13-1, and when he played 25 minutes or less, MU was
just 5-12 ... Had 16 points in 1st meeting against Kansas, and held Eric
Chenowith to just 6 points and 5 rebounds ... Recorded his second career
double-double at Baylor, as he tallied 14 pts. & 11 rebounds ... Also had
14-point game vs. KSU, and had 11 points and 7 rebounds vs. Colorado ... Had
a solid game at Iowa State, scoring 14 points and adding seven rebounds ...
In the second half, played 17 minutes and scored 11 points, added all seven
of his rebounds and held Fizer to just two points ... Scored a career-high
23 points on Dec. 18th vs. Iowa, hitting 8-of-12 shots on the day, and sank
7-of-8 free throws to help seal the win in the game's final minutes ... Got
to the arena barely a half-hour prior to tipoff, due to a midterm exam ...
Was named Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week following that performance ... Tallied
19 points and 11 rebounds in MU's 85-68 win over Western Carolina, his first
career double-double.
IN JUNIOR COLLEGE - Named first-team JUCO all-American after averaging over
20 points and 10 rebounds a game for Meridian (Miss.) Community College ...
Helped lead Eagles to 26-11 record as a sophomore, and 5th-place finish at
NJCAA national tournament ... Was named to NJCAA All-Tournament team, after
helping Eagles to 5th-place, the school's best-ever showing ... Averaged 15
points per game in the national tournament, and led all rebounders ... Led
team with 21 points in the 5th-place game, a 74-73 victory over Dixie
College of Utah ... Academic honors included Outstanding Physical Science
Award from school, and was selected to MCC's Circle of Excellence ...
Averaged 13.2 points and 10.4 rebounds a game as a freshman ... Team went
22-8 that season.
IN HIGH SCHOOL - Averaged 14 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 assists per
game as a senior for Saje High School, in Lagos, Nigeria ... Also lettered
in soccer and table tennis.
PERSONAL - Is majoring in biochemistry, and wants to eventually go to
medical school ... Parents - Rasaki and Kehinde Soyoye ... Junior college
coach - Dennis Helms ... High school coach - Alabi Adelanhia.
