Western Kentucky adds JUCO standout Osawe, CORE4 Academy star Milton for upcoming season

Western Kentucky University has added junior-college basketball standout Kevin Osawe and CORE4 Academy star Kylen Milton for the 2020-21 season.

Osawe, a 6-foot-6 forward, will have two years of eligibility remaining after transferring from Vincennes (Ind.) University. Milton, a 6-foot-5 guard originally from Conway, Ark., averaged 23 points per game during a 2019-20 post-grad season at CORE4 Academy in Atlanta.

Osawe – originally from Brampton, Ontario, Canada – was named a NJCAA Division I third team All-American following his sophomore season. He averaged 17.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists as Vincennes compiled a 28-5 record and a No. 9 final national ranking.

Vincennes also earned a No. 10 overall seed in the NJCAA national tournament that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Osawe drained 66 shots from 3-point range in 2019-20, while ranking sixth nationally in defensive rebounds and 25th in total rebounds.

As a freshman, Osawe averaged 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists for a Vincennes squad that won the NJCAA national championship with a 34-2 record. Osawe shot 39.7 percent from 3-point range as a freshman and was named MVP of the national tournament. He finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds in the national championship game.

Osawe is rated the No. 10 overall junior-college prospect in the nation by JUCORecruiting.com.

“We’re excited to have Kevin join our family,” WKU head coach Rick Stansbury said. “It’s very obvious he comes from one of the best junior colleges in the country under coach Todd Franklin. He joins us from a program where he’s been coached and where he won a national championship as a freshman, and had another opportunity this year.

“He brings us some experience and some versatility, and he’s a young man we think will fit right in with our program with his work ethic.”

Milton poured in a season-high 38 points in a game during 2019-20. He also grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists in that contest.

“We’re pleased to have Kylen join our program,” Stansbury said. “He brings a lot of talent to our team, and he’s a young kid with a lot of upside. On top of that, he comes from a very high-character family.”

Milton originally signed with Oral Roberts as a senior at Conway High School in 2018. He later elected to go the post-grad route and enrolled at CORE4 Academy.

WKU posted a 20-10 overall record this season, including a 13-5 mark in Conference USA. The Hilltoppers are expected to return four starters in 2020-21.

From Western Kentucky University