Arizona officially announced the addition of transfer forwards Trey Townsend and Tobe Awaka, signaling their scholarship papers have been received.
Townsend, a 6-6 fifth-year forward who transferred from Oakland, is expected to take over the Wildcats' starting power forward spot vacated by Keshad Johnson while possibly also playing small forward at times.
Townsend was not highly recruited out of high school but was given the Lou Henson Award as the top mid-major player in college basketball this season. Last season, he averaged 17.3 points and 8.1 rebounds and helped the Golden Grizzlies pull off an upset over third-seeded Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament's first round.
"Trey has continued to get better and better each of his four years in college," UA coach Tommy Lloyd said in the school's statement, while welcoming both transfers to his program. "He is highly skilled and has shown his ability to excel against the best competition."
The 6-6 Awaka, a New York native who spent two seasons at Tennessee, is expected to play at least a key reserve role at both post spots for Arizona. Last season, Awaka averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds while posting a 17.9 offensive rebounding percentage and a defensive rebounding percentage of 20.0.
"Tobe brings an energy and toughness around the basket that you cannot teach, with a passion for rebounding that is second to none," Lloyd said. "He's an extremely bright young man that has been well-coached throughout his career so far."
