@fullname - @sport - Kansas State University Athletics

Photo by: Joshua Strong/Kansas State Unive

Abayomi Iyiola

Position:
Center
Ht./Wt.:
6-10 / 220
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Ibadan, Nigeria
High School:
Greenforest-McCalep Christian Academy (Ga.)
Prev School:
Hofstra

Pronounced uh-BYE-uh-mee ee-zhee-OH-luh

Features (click on headline for link)

Baybe Fights for Everything He Has (K-State Sports Extra, Oct. 17, 2022)
Iyiola, now at Hofstra, admired by both benches (Whole Hog Sports, Dec. 17, 2021)
Former Razorback leads Hofstra to upset of No. 24 Arkansas (NY Post, Dec. 18, 2021)

HONORS

2022-23 NABC Honors Court
2018 Atlantic Sun (ASUN) All-Freshman Team

CAREER OVERVIEW

Played his fifth and final season of college eligibility at K-State in 2022-23.
Transferred to K-State after playing 2 seasons at Stetson (2017-19) and Arkansas (2019-21) and 1 season at Hofstra (2021-22)… Played in just 1 game at Arkansas due transfer and injury.
Saw action in 123 career games with 73 starts, including 31 games with 9 starts at K-State in 2022-23.
Finished his college career with 962 points, connecting on 52.9 percent (396-of-748) from the field and 72.8 percent (169-of-232) from the free throw line… Collected 721 rebounds (5.9 rpg.), 44 assists (0.4 apg.), 77 steals (0.6 spg.) and 86 blocks (0.7 bpg.) in 2,243 minutes (18.2 mpg.).
Started his college career at Stetson, where he averaged 10.4 points (656 total) on 50.1 percent (274-of-547) shooting with 6.9 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 0.9 blocks in 21 minutes per game while playing in 63 games with 39 starts from 2017-19.
Had 43 career double-digit scoring games, including 14 games with 15 or more points and 3 20-point games… Scored in double figures in 33 of 63 games played at Stetson, including in 18 games as a true freshman (2017-18)… His career-high of 26 points came at South Florida (11/28/18) as a sophomore (2018-19) at Stetson.
Collected 16 career double-doubles (points/rebounds), including 12 in his 2 seasons at Stetson and 4 at Hofstra in 2021-22.
Averaged nearly 6 rebounds per game in his career, including totaling nearly 200 in 3 seasons with a season-best 235 as a sophomore at Stetson in 2018-19… Secured double-digit rebounds in 23 games, while grabbing a career-best 15 at James Madison (1/9/22).
Connected on 52.9 percent of his field goals in his career, including 53 percent (396-of-747) on 2-point shots… Hit on a team-best 63.2 percent (84-of-133) in his one season at Hofstra in 2021-22, which was a dramatic increase from his previous-best of 52.6 percent in 2017-18.
Played alongside Desi Sills at both Arkansas (2019-21) and K-State (2022-23), guiding the schools to a combined 71 wins and a pair of Elite Eights (2021, 2023).

Career-High Points: 26 at South Florida (11/28/18) while at Stetson
Career-High Rebounds: 15 at James Madison (1/9/22) while at Hofstra
Career-High Blocks: 4 at North Florida (2/26/19) while at Stetson

AS A SENIOR AT KANSAS STATE (2022-23) | 3.4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.4 BPG | Game-by-Game Stats (.pdf)

Saw action in 31 games with 9 starts (including 8 in Big 12 play)… Missed 5 games due to injury before returning to play vs. Radford (12/21/22).
Logged 351 minutes, including double-digit totals in 17 games… Played a season-high 25 minutes in the win over No. 19/16 Baylor (1/7/23).
Averaged 3.4 points on 55.9 percent shooting (38-of-68) with 2.8 rebounds and 0.4 blocks in 11.3 minutes per game… Connected on 76.9 percent (30-of-39) from the free throw line.
Scored in double figures in 4 games, including 3 times in Big 12 play… Scored a season-high 14 points in the overtime win over No. 24/24 West Virginia (12/31/22) in just his second start of the season… Followed with 10 points in the win at No. 6/6 Texas (1/3/23)… Posted 11 points at Oklahoma (2/14/23)… Had 12 points in his first game as a Wildcat vs. UTRGV (11/7/22).
Tied for fourth on the team in offensive rebounds (29), while he finished with 86 total rebounds on the year… Had 5 or more rebounds in 7 games, including a season-best 8 vs. No. 24/24 West Virginia (12/31/22) where he nearly had a double-double.
Had 11 blocks on the year with 1 in 11 different games.
Was a starter in the first 8 Big 12 games due to David N’Guessan’s injury… Averaged 6.6 points on 57.1 percent (16-of-28) shooting with 5.1 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game in those 8 Big 12 starts.
Saw action in all 18 Big 12 games… Averaged 4.2 points on 54.5 percent shooting (24-of-44) to go with 3.4 rebounds in 13.3 minutes per game… Connected on 77.8 percent (28-of-36) from the free throw line.
Coached by Jerome Tang.

AS A SENIOR AT HOFSTRA (2021-22) | 7.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 0.6 BPG | Game-by-Game Stats (.pdf)

Played in 28 pf 32 games with 25 starts while helping Hofstra win 21 games, including 13 in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play, in 2021-22 after winning just 13 the previous season.
Averaged 7.1 points on 63.2 percent shooting (84-of-133) with 7.1 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 20.1 minutes per game… Connected on 76.2 percent (32-of-42) from the free throw line.
Led the Pride in rebounding (7.1 rpg.), offensive rebounds (84) and total rebounds (200).
Ranked fifth in the CAA in rebounding (7.1 rpg.), while was second in offensive rebounds (3.00), 11th in defensive rebounds (4.14) and 12th in blocked shots (0.6 bpg.).
Scored in double figures in 7 games, including a season-high 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting to go with 14 rebounds in the win over Arkansas (12/18/21).
Registered 4 double-doubles (points/rebounds) and secured double-digit rebounds 8 times… Grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds to go with 15 points in a win at James Madison (1/9/22) to cap a stretch of five consecutive games with double-digit rebounds.
Posted consecutive games of 14 rebounds vs. John Jay (12/12/21) and Arkansas (12/18/21)… Had 11 rebounds in his debut vs. Houston (11/9/21).
Was second on the team with 17 blocks… Had at least 2 blocks in 5 games.
Played in all 18 CAA games with 17 starts, averaging 6.2 points on 59.5 percent (44-of-74) shooting with a team-best 6.6 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game.
Scored in double figures 4 times in CAA play with 2 double-doubles.
Ranked seventh in the CAA in rebounding, fourth in offensive rebounds (2.89) and 10th in blocks (0.7 bpg.).
Coached by Speedy Claxton.

AS A JUNIOR AT ARKANSAS (2020-21)

Played in just one game in 2020-21 after having knee surgery in the summer of 2020.
Began practicing with the team on Dec. 26 and officially came off the injury list in a game against Florida (2/16/21).
Saw his first game action at South Carolina (3/2/21), pulling down a rebound in 2 minutes.
Coached by Eric Musselman.

AS A SOPHOMORE AT ARKANSAS (2019-20)

Sat out the 2019-20 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
Coached by Eric Musselman.

AS A SOPHOMORE AT STETSON (2018-19) | 10.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.2 BPG | Game-by-Game Stats (.pdf)

Started all 31 games in 2018-19… The Hatters posted a 7-24 overall record, including a 3-13 mark in Atlantic Sun play.
Averaged 10.8 points on 48.4 percent shooting (135-of-279) with 7.6 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.2 blocks in 22.9 minutes per game… Connected on 73.3 percent (63-of-86) from the line.
Led the team in scoring (10.8 ppg.), rebounding (7.6 rpg.) and blocked shots (1.2 bpg.).
Ranked fourth in the ASUN in rebounding (7.6 rpg.), while was second in offensive rebounds (2.74), fifth in blocked shots, ninth in field goal percentage and 19th in scoring (10.8 ppg.).
Scored in double figures in 15 games, including a season-high 26 points at South Florida (11/28/18) on 10-of-15 field goals and 6-of-10 free throws with 27 minutes.
Averaged 19 points and 9 rebounds over a 5-game span from Nov. 23 to Dec. 5… Stretch included a 26-point, 6-rebound effort at USF (11/28/18), 19 points and 5 rebounds at No. 3 Duke (12/1/18) and 22 points and 11 rebounds at Western Illinois (12/5/18).
Collected 8 double-doubles (points/rebounds), while reaching double-digit rebounds 10 times… Posted a 20/10 double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds at Western Illinois (12/5/18).
Led the team in nearly all rebounding categories, including offensive (85), defensive (150) and total rebounds (235)… Had 5 or more rebounds in 25 of 31 games… Twice grabbed a season-high 13 boards, including vs. VMI (11/23/18) and North Florida (2/26/19).
His 37 total blocks were more than 40 percent of the team’s total… Recorded at least 2 blocks in 10 games with a season-high 4 at South Florida (11/28/18) and vs. North Florida (2/26/19).
Started all 16 ASUN games… Averaged 10.6 points on 46.7 percent (70-of-150) shooting in ASUN play with 8.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks in 23.9 minutes per game… Connected on 78.4 percent (29-of-37) from the free throw line.
Scored in double figures in 9 games in ASUN play with 4 double-doubles.
Ranked fifth in blocks in ASUN-only games, while was sixth in rebounding (8.3 rpg.), 10^th in field goal percentage (46.7) and 23^rd in scoring (10.6 ppg.).
Coached by Corey Williams.

AS A FRESHMAN AT STETSON (2017-18) | 10.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 0.7 BPG | Game-by-Game Stats (.pdf)

Selected to the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team by the league coaches.
Saw action in 32 games with 8 starts in 2017-18… The Hatters posted a 12-20 overall record, including a 4-10 mark in Atlantic Sun play.
Averaged 10.1 points on 51.9 percent shooting (139-of-268) with 6.2 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 19.3 minutes per game… Connected on 67.7 percent (44-of-65) from the line.
Ranked third on the team in scoring, while his 322 total points placed seventh among Stetson freshmen all-time.
Ranked seventh in the ASUN in field goal percentage (51.9), while was eighth in rebounding (6.2 rpg.) and 13th in blocked shots (0.7 bpg.).
Scored in double figures in 18 games, including a season-high 21 points vs. Webber (11/10/17) in his first college game on 10-of-15 field goals in 28 minutes.
Registered double figures in 5 of the last 6 games, including 18-point efforts vs. Kennesaw State (2/17/18) and at Lipscomb (2/26/18).
Totaled 4 double-doubles (points/rebounds), while reaching double-digit rebounds 4 times… Had a double-double in his first college game with 21 points and 13 rebounds vs. Webber (11/10/17).
Led the team in nearly every rebounding category, including offensive (77), defensive (122) and total (199) rebounds… Fell one rebound shy of becoming the fourth freshman in program history with 200 rebounds in a season.
Saw action in 14 ASUN games with 4 starts… Averaged 9.4 points on 46.7 percent (59-of-109) shooting in ASUN play with 5.9 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 17.0 minutes per game… Connected on 66.7 percent (14-of-21) from the free throw line.
Scored in double figures in 10 games in ASUN play with 3 double-doubles.
Ranked seventh in field goal percentage in ASUN-only games, while was second in offensive rebounds (2.6) and 10th in rebounding (5.9 rpg.)
Coached by Corey Williams.

HIGH SCHOOL

Played all four years at Greenforest-McCalep Christian Academy in Decatur, Ga. … Helped the Eagles to a 57-7 record and back-to-back Class A Private School State Championships (2016, 2017) as a junior and senior.
Averaged a near double-double as a senior in 2016-17 with 10.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game in helping a Greenforest squad posted 27 victories and won their four playoff games by an average of 30 points per game… Connected on 52.3 percent (139-of-266) from the field.
Averaged 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds as a junior in 2015-16 for a Greenforest team which posted a 30-2 record and won the state championship.
Coached by Larry Thompson.

PERSONAL

Abayomi Iyiola was born Jan. 20, 1998, in Ibadan, Nigeria… Son of Lasisi and Alirat Iyiola… Has four siblings (Semiu, Akim, Omolara and Opeyemi)… Brothers, Semiu and Akim, played soccer in Nigeria... Has a wife and son.
His first name (Abayomi) means "My enemies tried to mock me and God wouldn't allow it" in Nigerian, while his first name means "Bringer of Happiness" in Egyptian.
Earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Hofstra in May 2022… Working towards a master’s degree in personal financial planning.