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Photo by: Tommy Martino

Photo by: Tommy Martino/UM Athletics

Laolu Oke

Class:
Redshirt Junior
Position:
Forward
Ht./Wt.:
6-8 / 218
Hometown:
Aurora, Colo.
High School:
Overland H.S.
Previous School:
MSU Denver

Oke transferred to Montana from D-II Metro State-Denver. He finished his career with 990 rebounds and 959 points.

2023-24 (R-Senior): Montana’s captain for the 2023-24 season… appeared in 35 games, starting 33 of them… averaged 22.7 minutes per game… season averages of 6.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game… grabbed 99 offensive rebounds during the season, the most by a Grizzly player since 1992… 2.83 offensive rebounds per game led the Big Sky and ranked 70^th in the NCAA… ranked 4^th in the Big Sky, 96^th in the NCAA, and led Montana in total rebounds with 260… ranked 4^th in the Big Sky and 137^th in the country with 7.4 rebounds per game… recorded five double-doubles, 8^th-most in the conference and 183^rd in the country… scored a season-high 18 points vs. MSU-Northern (12/5)… his dunk vs. MSU-Northern was selected as the No. 1 play on SportsCenter’s nightly Top 10 plays… scored 16 points to go with 15 rebounds in Montana’s win at San Jose St. (12/17)… scored 15 points in a win over UC Davis (11/12)… scored in double-figures 10 times during the season… shot 65.1 percent from the floor and 64.1 percent from the free throw line… attempted the lone three-pointer of his career in his final game vs. Arkansas State at the CBI (3/25)… had a career-high 19 rebounds – 10 defensive and 9 offensive - in a double-double performance (13 points) at Nevada (11/29)… 19 rebounds were the most by a Grizzly player since 2015… had eight games with double-digit rebounds on the season, turning five of them into double-doubles… Montana went 3-2 in the five games in which Oke had a double-double… recorded back-to-back double-doubles in wins over Montana State (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Sacramento State (10 points, 15 rebounds) in late February… injured on Dec. 28 at Weber State and missed the following game at Idaho State… came off the bench twice while recovering from injury… returned to the starting lineup on Jan. 11 vs. Northern Colorado… had an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double at home vs. North Dakota State… averaged 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during the Big Sky Tournament… had at least 5 rebounds in 28 games, including the final 13 games of the season… had three games with at least 8 offensive rebounds, which was tied for fourth-most in the NCAA… shot 100 percent from the field in eight separate games… led Montana in rebounding 18 times… led Montana in blocks 16 times… had 26 blocks, 2^nd on Montana, and 31 steals, 3^rd on the team.

2022-23 (R-Junior): Appeared in 30 games, averaging 9.1 minutes per appearance… averaged 1.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game… recorded 13 steals and six blocks… played a key role during conference play off the bench… finished with multiple rebounds in 11 straight games to end the season… had two games with five rebounds vs. Idaho (12/31) and at the Big Sky Tournament against Northern Arizona (3/7)… played at least 10 minutes in six of the final seven games of the season… made his final eight field goal attempts of the season, going over a month without a miss to close the year… shot 71.0 percent from the floor on the season, making 22-of-31 shot attempts… had 10 different games with a perfect 100 percent field goal percentage… led Montana in steals in six games and blocks in four… during Montana’s 7-1 stretch to end the regular season, Oke averaged 12.5 minutes and 3.3 rebounds… was a game-best +19 in a win against Portland State (1/28)… averaged 10.2 rebounds per 40 minutes.

2018-22 (MSU Denver): Graduated from MSU Denver as one of the program’s best players of all-time, setting school records for rebounds in a game (20), rebounds in a season (337), career rebounding average (8.9) and career double-doubles (20)… Earned back-to-back Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors (2020-21, 2021-22)… Was a two-time All-RMAC first-team selection (2020-21, 2021-22)… Named to the 2021-22 All-South Central Region first team, reserved for the region’s top-five Division-II players… Set a league record with 15 RMAC Defensive Player of the Week awards… Started 44 of 45 games over his final two seasons at MSU Denver, averaging 13.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 67 percent from the floor… During his final season, in 2021-22, averaged 14.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game while shooting at a 67-percent clip… Ranked fourth in Division-II for rebounding, fourth for double-doubles and sixth for shooting percentage in 2021-22… Earned countless academic accolades, including CoSIDA Academic All-District (2021-22) and NABC Honors Court (2021, 2022)… Came to Montana with two years of eligibility remaining after redshirting in 2018-19 and receiving an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019-20.

High School: Is a 2018 graduate of Overland High School in Aurora, Colorado… Earned All-Centennial League second-team honors as a senior… Selected to the 2018 Denver vs. Aurora All-Star Game… Averaged 6.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game as a senior while shooting 65 percent from the field… Recorded seven double-doubles during his senior campaign… Helped Overland to the quarterfinals of the 2018 Colorado Class 5A state tournament… Top games include 15 points and 17 rebounds against Cherokee Trail; 10 points and 16 rebounds against Rangeview; and 12 points and 16 rebounds against Regis Jesuit… Head coach was Danny Fisher.

Personal: Full name is Olaoluwa Olumuyiwa Oke… Name is prounouced low-loo (like ow) oh-kee… Parents are Gabriel and Ade Oke… Has one sister, Tomi… Graduated with honors from MSU Denver in May 2022 with a degree in business management and a focus in finance… Is pursuing a master of business administration degree from Montana.