Alabama Basketball: Impact of Crimson Tide adding Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi
Alabama Basketball solidified its fourth transfer of the off-season on Sunday as 6-foot, 11-inch Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi announced via Instagram that he would be committing to Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide.
Per 247Sports, Omoruyi was ranked as the third-best center and No. 13 best player in the transfer portal. The Nigerian played four seasons in the Big10 with Rutgers before deciding to switch things up for his fifth year.
Last season, Omoruyi started and played in 32 contests while averaging 26.9 minutes per game. In that span, he averaged 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists while shooting 51.2% from the field. Omoruyi got to the free-throw line 2.3-3.7 times per game and shot a poor 61%.
As a freshman, he averaged 3.8 points, four rebounds and 0.2 assists through 23 games played in which he only registered six starts, averaging 14.9 minutes per game. As a No. 10 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the Scarlet Knights danced to the Round of 32 by defeating No. 7 Clemson 60-56. In the win, Omoruyi registered zero points and came up with only three defensive rebounds through nine minutes off the bench. In the 63-60 second round loss to No. 2 Houston, Omoruyi scored four points and contributed with five rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.
The following season Omoruyi’s game took a massive leap as he averaged 11.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists with a 62.4% field goal percentage. Rutgers snuck into the First Four of the NCAA Tournament that year with an 18-13 overall record before losing to Notre Dame in double overtime 89-87. Omoruyi scored 15 points and grabbed six boards in the defeat.
As a junior, Omoruyi saw his best statistical season as he averaged 13.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists. Rutgers finished the regular season 19-15, 10-10 and fell in the first round of the NIT Tournament to Hofstra 88-86. In that game, Omoruyi scored 14 points and helped with five rebounds and two steals.
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The Crimson Tide reached the Final Four this past season for the first time in program history and they look to do it again next year with Omoruyi in the paint. The big man will certainly bring an exciting and much-needed piece to the already-lethal Bama offense.