Five Questions: Oliver Black

LITTLE ROCK – Oliver Black sat out the 2015-16 season as a redshirt after transferring from Mississippi State. The 6-9, 225-pound forward will be a sophomore in 2016-17 with three years of eligibility remaining.

Black spent his freshman season with current Little Rock head coach Wes Flanigan at Mississippi State. He appeared in 31 games with four starts for the Bulldogs in 2014-15, grabbing 75 rebounds and shooting 48.9 percent from the floor.

The Jackson, Miss., native will be looked to for immediate minutes in the post this season. His defense and rebounding will be needed to fill the void of Roger Woods, who was an All-Sun Belt selection and the Sun Belt Tournament MVP as a senior in 2015-16.

What did you work on most during your redshirt year?

I asked my coaches what I really needed to work on, and they said my defense was up to par. So I really worked on my offense, finishing, running to the basket, dribbling, shooting. Just the basics – dribble, pass, shoot.

If you could play any other sport, what would it be?

While in high school, I played basketball, baseball, and football and had college offers for all three, actually. But if I had chosen differently, then I guess it maybe would have been football. It really came down to me thinking about each sport and what it can offer for me, my chances of making it, and also injury risk. Football has the highest injury risk, of course. I liked baseball but there wasn't enough action for me, so I went with basketball.

Twenty years from now, what moment from last season will stand out to you the most?

Seeing the faces of my teammates when they won the Sun Belt Championship. That was the best part.

What do you expect your role to be this season?

Well, since I'm the biggest physically on the team, I'll have to get a lot more aggressive. I feel like there is a lot on my back and I have expectations for myself to live up to.

After you are done with basketball what is next for you?

My major is Criminal Justice, so hopefully I can become a lawyer and a judge one day. I have big goals.