Odia to Transfer to Oregon
EUGENE, Ore. ? Churchill Odia, a 6-6 freshman point guard who played last season at Xavier, has signed an offer of athletic aid to the University of Oregon, head coach Ernie Kent announced Monday.
Odia, from Lagos, Nigeria, is expected to enroll in classes at Oregon this summer. He will sit out and redshirt the 2005-06 season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules and will have three seasons of eligibility beginning in 2006-07.
"Churchill is a very versatile player who will be able to come in and learn our system as he sits out a year because of the transfer rule, and then will have three years to play for us," said Kent. "He is a prototypical point guard for our system and he has a tremendous feel for the game. And we can utilize his height and athleticism at the other wing positions, as well."
Odia was a member of the 2004 Nigerian national team that played in the Olympic qualifying tournament. He was also a part of the 2003 Nigerian junior national team that lost to Kent’s United States’ team at the World Championships in Greece.
"I’ve met a number of players like Churchill through my involvement with USA Basketball," Kent said. "And getting a player like Churchill to come to Oregon is another example of the dividends of that work paying off."
In a limited role, Odia averaged 1.6 points and 0.9 rebounds for Xavier last season, playing an average of 8.8 minutes in 25 games. He had highs of seven points against Lehigh and five assists against Creighton. The Musketeers switched to a more controlled style of offense in 2004-05 under new coach Sean Miller, who took over when Thad Matta left for Ohio State.
"I think the coaching change had a direct impact on his numbers," said Kent. "Churchill was playing a style that really wasn’t ideal for him. He’s a player who is better suited to the up-tempo style of game."
Prior to Xavier, Odia played only one season of high school basketball in the United States. As a junior in 2002-03, he averaged 12.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game for Montrose Christian, helping the Rockville, Md., school to a 20-1 record. He did not play during his senior year due to eligibility issues related to his visa.
