Andrew Akuchie Archives

The Rice basketball roster will grow and change between the end of the regular season and the start of the next. Stay tuned here for updates.

Roster churn has become a part of college sports as we know and Rice basketball is not immune to the ebb and flow of players coming in and out. With the 2021-2022 season in the books, this page will serve as a running tracker regarding the roster for the upcoming season as it currently stands. The last official roster is available here.

Feel free to bookmark it and refer back to it from time to time as players announce their intentions throughout the offseason.

Departing with Eligibility (4)

C Mylyjael Poteat
G Chris Mullins
F Riley Abercrombie
G Noah Hutchins

Departing Seniors/Graduates (2)

G Terrance McBride
G Carl Pierre

Incoming High School Signees (3)

G Mekhi Mason
G Mason Jones
F Andrew Akuchie

Incoming Transfers (2)

F Seryee Lewis, Kansas State
G Alem Huseinovic, Nevada

Current Expected Remaining Roster (10)

G Jaden Geron
G Jake Lieppert
G Travis Evee
G Quincy Olivari
F Cam Sheffield
F Ben Moffat
G Reed Myers
F Max Fiedler
F Damion McDowell
F Jackson Peakes

Rice Basketball News

Rice basketball, Rice women's basketball

Rice Basketball Roundup: MBB fall, WBB win vs UAB

Posted: January 28, 2023

Both Rice basketball teams were in action against UAB on Saturday. Here’s a brief rundown of how the men and women faired and what’s next for both. Rice basketball saw their hot streak come to a screeching halt against a short-handed UAB squad, falling at home in a largely uncompetitive fashion. Rice basketball has been […]

Rice Basketball: Is this team for real? — January Patreon Q&A

Posted: January 27, 2023

The win over North Texas was incredible, but barely beating UTSA was disappointing. Which version of Rice basketball shows up next time? If you asked Rice basketball head coach Scott Pera if he’s come down from cloud nine, he might not yet know the answer. Even with practices to attend to and new games to […]

Rice Basketball Roundup: MBB and WBB split vs Charlotte

Posted: January 26, 2023

Both Rice basketball teams were in action against Charlotte on Thursday. Here’s a brief rundown of how the men and women faired and what’s next for both. Rice basketball overcame a slow start and had to hang on late, edging the Charlotte 49ers at home for their fourth consecutive Conference USA win. It was a […]

, Rice Women's Basketball, Rice basketball, Conference USA Basketball

Conference USA Basketball 2023: Late-January Roundup

Posted: January 25, 2023

Conference USA Basketball is in the thick of the conference slate. Here’s where each team stands in late January. Team NET KenPom Record Charlotte 93 107 13-7 (4-5) FAU 18 36 19-1 (9-0) FIU 249 249 9-11 (3-6) LA Tech 158 154 11-9 (4-5) MTSU 107 115 13-7 (6-3) North Texas 62 70 16-5 (7-3) […]

After slow start to C-USA play, Rice Women’s Basketball is back in gear

Posted: January 20, 2023

It was a strenuous start to conference play for Rice women’s basketball, but a three-game win streak has the Owls back on track. The first five conference games Lindsay Edmonds coached in with Rice women’s basketball did not go well. Managing a depleted roster bereft of depth and besieged by injuries contributed to an 0-5 […]

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The 2022 Rice basketball recruiting class added one more to their numbers this week, picking up a commitment from versatile forward Andrew Akuchie.

After retooling the roster prior to the 2021 season, the 2022 Rice Basketball recruiting class was likely slated to include a handful of players. The longest-tenured commitment comes from guard Mekhi Mason committed in January. Now, with the summer winding to a close, Rice adds the first forward in the 2022 class: Andrew Akuchie.

Akuchie hails from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Like King and Mason before him, this out-of-state product should fit in well with the Owls’ fast pace offensive style. Akuchie mentioned the Owls’ tempo and willingness to push the ball in transition was something he was particularly excited to be apart of when he gets to campus, mentioning Pera’s willingness to let his players make plays. “Anyone can push the ball in transition,” Akuchie said.

On the court, the fit makes a lot of sense. The 6-foot-8 forward can hold his own inside and has the ability to score from different levels of the court. Aligning him with the quick-trigger guard play already on campus will add an extra dimension to the Owls’ offense.

At the time of his commitment, Akuchie picks Rice over offers from Albany, Lafayette and Canisius. All four programs had offered Akuchie over the summer, Albany first in early May and Rice coming not long after in mid June. Princeton and Holy Cross were in the running down the stretch, but after some time to get to know the staff and get a better feel for Rice, Akuchie had seen all he needed to see to make his decision.

“The coaching staff [is] supportive,” he said, adding it was evident that the coaches “care a lot about their players.” That familial atmosphere was important for him. And now he’s set to be a Rice Owl.