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Photo by: John McGillen/USC Athletics

Photo by: John McGillen/USC Athletics

Daniel Utomi

Height:
6-6
Weight:
225
Class:
Redshirt Senior
Hometown:
Houston, Texas
High School:
Westside

BREAKDOWN: Daniel Utomi is a 6-6, 225-pound redshirt senior guard who transferred to USC from Akron with one season remaining. He can score in a variety of ways and has made 207 career three-point baskets. He averaged 11.8 points and 4.0 rebounds in his three active seasons at Arkon, 15.5 points per game as a starter the last two seasons. He graduated from Akron with a degree in Organizational Supervision in 2019.

2018-19: Utomi played in all 33 games for Akron, starting 32, and averaging a team-leading 14.2 points. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds and made a team-leading 93 three-point baskets, making 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. He was named All-Mid-American Conference honorable mention for the 2018-19 season. He scored his 1,000th career point on Feb. 12 vs. Buffalo when he scored 14 points, had five rebounds, three assists and two blocks...became the 45th Zip to score 1,000 or more points in his career. He scored in double figures 26 times and scored 20 or more points eight times with a season-best 25 points vs. Youngstown State on November 10. He made a season-high six three-point baskets three times, first vs. St. Bonnaventure on Nov. 22, then at Central Michigan on January 8 and at Kent State on March 8.

2017-18: Made 31 starts and played in all 32 games for Akron, leading the team with a 16.7 point scoring average. He ranked second on the team with an average of 5.3 rebounds per game. Was named All-MAC honorable mention. He made a team-high 88 three-point baskets and his 40.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc ranked 74th among all Division I men’s basketball players. He scored in double digits 28 times, including scoring a career-high 32 points vs. UT Martin on Nov. 18. He made a career-best eight three-pointers (8 of 11) in the game vs. UT Martin. He scored 20 or more points 12 times during the season. He registered a career-best 13 rebounds vs. Chattanooga on Nov. 28. He ranked in the MAC Top 15 in eight categories, 2nd in 3-point FG made per game (2.8), 3rd in minutes played per game (34.3), 4th in 3-point FG percentage (.402), 5th in total 3-point FG made (88), 6th in scoring per game (16.7), 9th in free throw attempts (126), 10th in total points scored (535) and 14th in free throw percentage (.770). He faced USC on Dec. 22 in the first round of the Diamond Head Classic and scored 11 points in an 84-53 loss.

2016-17: Played in 30 games and averaged 4.8 points and 1.2 rebounds. He made his only start on Jan. 14 at Miami and scored 15 points, knocking four all five three-point attempts. He came off the bench to score a then career-high 19 points at Eastern Michigan on Feb. 10.

2015-16: Appeared in two games before suffering a season-ending foot injury. He received a medical hardship waiver for the season. He missed his only two shots taken during the season.

HIGH SCHOOL: Utomi graduated from Westside High School in 2015. He led WHS to a 21-9 mark and spot in the regional tournament as a senior. He averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds per game and was named the District 20-6A Player of the Year in 2015. He was a three-time First-Team All-District and MVP honoree 2013, 2014 and 2015 and a two-time All-Region selection. Utomi was a Nike International All-Tournament award winner .

PERSONAL: Daniel was born on born on March 7, 1997, in Houston Texas. He is the son of Anthony and Prscialla Utomi and has two siblings, Alex and Vicky. He is working on his master’s in Communication Management.