After two years as a top contributor off the bench for head coach Kara Lawson, a key piece for Duke women’s basketball is leaving Durham.
Sophomore guard Oluchi Okananwa is reportedly entering the transfer portal, as On3’s Talia Goodman announced on X. The 5-foot-10 Boston native is coming off a stellar season which saw her named as the Ally ACC Tournament MVP.
Okananwa averaged 16.3 points per game in the conference tournament, shooting 75% from three. During the regular season, she posted 10.1 points per game — good for third on the team — along with 5.3 rebounds.
In her rookie campaign, Okananwa was named as the ACC’s Sixth Player of the Year, due to the fiery energy she brought off the bench. An energetic guard, she rebounded well above her size and was known for her acrobatic finishes down low. Okananwa also brought the intensity on the defensive end, posting a team-leading 1.8 steals per game and locking down opposing guards around the perimeter.
“The rebounds and steals is something she always does,” Lawson said of Okananwa Dec. 18. “You kind of can take it for granted because of her effort level. I don't take it for granted, but with the departure of Vanessa de Jesus those numbers show up regularly for her.”
She had a particularly strong performance in the ACC championship game, as Okananwa led the Blue Devils to a 76-62 victory over N.C. State with 22 points and a mind-boggling 10 rebounds, both team bests. While she never started a game for Duke, Okananwa was consistently one of the first players off the bench and only played less than 15 minutes in two games her sophomore season.
Now, she will be an excellent find for any coach looking to bring that fire to their team. The Blue Devils will look to fill the large gap left by her departure. Incoming guards in freshman Emilee Skinner and transfer Riley Nelson — back off a medical redshirt — may help to cover the empty space, but the Duke backcourt is looking emptier than it has in a few years.
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Martin Heintzelman is a Trinity junior and Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.