Lutz adds veteran big man Ousmane

A veteran big man with 1,000 points and nearly 100 starts at the Division I level will patrol the paint for Oklahoma State next season.

Head coach Steve Lutz announced that Abou Ousmane (pronounced ah-BOO OOCE-mahn), a 6-foot-10 Xavier transfer who started his career at North Texas, will play his fifth and final season for the Cowboys.

"Abou is a strong, physical player who moves incredibly well for his size," Lutz said. "I love his versatility and the way he pursues rebounds. He's another veteran guy who has played on championship level teams and will be a great addition to the Cowboy Family."

Ousmane started 29 games for Xavier this past season and was the team's leading rebounder (6.4 rpg). He also averaged 6.7 points and 1.2 blocks while ranking among the nation's best offensive rebounders, according to advanced metrics.

Prior to Xavier, Ousmane played three years at North Texas, earning third All-Conference USA honors in his final go-around while averaging 11.1 points and 6.0 rebounds and totaling 45 blocks.

Including Xavier's 2024 NIT berth, Ousmane has played postseason basketball in all four years of his college career. He was a member of North Texas' 2023 NIT championship team and helped the school to its first ever NCAA tournament win in 2021. He was also a sophomore starter on a Mean Green squad that won 2022 CUSA regular season title.

The Brooklyn played his senior year at national powerhouse Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut and a postgrad season at Pennsylvania-based Scotland Performance Institute.

Ousmane is the sixth Division I transfer to sign with OSU this spring and seventh member of the 2024 recruiting class, joining Brandon Newman (6-5, G, Western Kentucky), Devante "Devo" Davis (6-4, G, Arkansas), Arturto Dean (5-11, G, FIU), Robert Jennings (6-7, F, Texas Tech) and Marchelus "Chi Chi" Avery (6-7, F, UCF). PHHoenix Prep guard Jeremiah Johnson signed last fall.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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