Bola Olaniyan

Position:
Forward
Height:
6-7
Weight:
235
Class:
Graduate Student
Hometown:
Lagos, Nigeria
High School:
Richmond HS
Prev School:
Southern Illinois

Fifth-year transfer from southern Illinois who is eligible to compete immediately, per NCAA transfer rules.

2016-17 (Senior Season)

Received the team's Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year award ... played in 33 games making 22 starts ... led the team in rebounding (6.4 rpg) and finished third on the team in steals (23) ... led the SEC in league games only in offensive rebounds per game (3.6) and ranked fourth in the SEC in rebounds per game (7.8) ... during conference play, he lead the team and ranked fourth in SEC in rebounds per game (7.8) ... recorded double-digit rebounds 30 times in his career and nine times this season ... recorded his lone double-double at Alabama, as he matched his career-high in rebounds (16) while tallying 11 points in the win over LSU (2/18) ... registered a season-high in rebounds (14) and minutes (28), while leading the team in steals (2) in Alabama's win over Missouri (2/15) ... led the team in rebounds (11) to go along with six points and three steals vs. Mississippi State (1/28) ... led Alabama in rebounds (10), while registering five points against Kentucky (2/11) ... registered a team-high in rebounds (11), assists (3) and steals (2) against Auburn (1/21) ... recorded 13 boards in the Tide's win over Stetson (12/29) ... pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds against South Carolina (3/10) in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals ... collected eight points on perfect 4-of-4 shooting against Kentucky (3/11) in the SEC Tournament semifinals ... led the team in rebounding (10) in Alabama's win over Ole Miss (3/1) ... tallied eight rebounds and a season-high seven points in Alabama's victory over Vanderbilt (1/7) ... had 10 boards to go along with four points vs. USC Upstate (12/15) ... matched his career-high in steals (3) in Alabama's victory over Charleston Southern (11/29) ... scored six points and four boards in 13 minutes in the Tide's season opener vs. Coastal Carolina (11/11) ... one of six to receive team's Student Academic Achievement Award.

At Southern Illinois (2012-16)

2015-16 (Junior Season)

Played 29 games making 26 starts ... named to Missouri Valley Conference most improved team following the season ... averaged 7.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game ... scored in double figures nine times including a team-leading six double-doubles, four of which came in the Salukis' Final Six contests ... led the conference and ranked 66th nationally in offensive rebounding (3.0) ... was second in the league and 67th in the country in rebounds per game ... also topped the squad in field goal percentage at 56.6 percent (86-of-152) ... recorded double-digit rebounds 13 times ... scored 10 points and added a dozen rebounds against Florida A&M (11/15) ... grabbed 14 boards and scored 11 points at Drake (1/17) ... scored a career-high 17 points at Missouri State (1/24) ... grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds at Wichita State (2/3) ... scored 12 points and added 10 rebounds against Drake (2/13) ... put up 11 and 11 against Bradley (2/17) ... scored 13 points to go along with 12 rebounds at Evansville (2/20) for his third consecutive double-double ... recovered 13 rebounds and scored 13 points against Missouri State (2/27).

2014-15 (Sophomore Season)

Played 31 games making 12 starts ... ranked sixth in the Missouri Valley conference in offensive rebounding (2.0) ... grabbed 10 rebounds at Tennessee State (11/18) ... went 5-of-7 from the field and scored 10 points against Olivet Nazarene (11/29) ... scored 10 points at northern Iowa (1/7) ... recorded double-doubles in back-to-back games against Indiana State (1/10) and Wichita state (1/14) ... scored 13 points and added 11 rebounds against Indiana State ... recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds at Wichita State went ... 12-of-20 from the field over his last five games.

2013-14 (Freshman Season)

Played 30 games and started in 12 ... had an 11 rebound performance against Stetson (11/26) where he also put up seven points ... in his first career start had eight points and eight rebounds at Missouri State (1/25) ... recorded his first double-double the next game with a dozen points and a dozen rebounds against Indiana state (1/29) ... set a then-career high with 14 rebounds against Loyola-Chicago (2/1) ... scored 10 points to go along with eight rebounds at Drake (2/4) ... recorded second career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds against Bradley (2/18) ... grabbed 11 rebounds at Evansville (2/22).

2012-13 (Redshirt Season)

Redshirted his first season on campus.

High School

Attended Richmond High School ... averaged 14.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game as a senior ... scored a season-high 27 points in an overtime victory over Kokomo on Feb. 17 ... also scored 25 points three times ... recorded 14 double-doubles and posted double-figures in scoring in all but five games ... Richmond finished 21-4 on the season and advanced to the class 4A sectional final ... played his junior year at Mount Zion Christian Academy in North Carolina.

Personal

Born April 5, 1993 in Lagos, Nigeria ... son of Sherifat and Yekini Olaniyan ... is the youngest of five children ... older brothers are Hafeez and Fatai, older sisters are Adijat and Moturayo ... played organized basketball for the first time in 10th grade in Nigeria ... graduated from Southern Illinois in August with a degree in sports administration ... currently pursuing a master's degree in sport business management at Alabama.