ORLANDO – Shemarri Allen, an all-conference selection at UMKC, has signed with the UCF men's basketball as the Knights' gear up for their inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference, head coach Johnny Dawkins announced Friday.
"We're excited to welcome Shemarri to the UCF family," said Coach Dawkins. "He is a versatile player coming off an incredible season, and we believe he can make an impact on both ends of the floor. He's a great leader and it shows in the way he carries himself on the court and in the classroom."
Allen is fresh off a breakout season in his senior year in which he averaged 17.0 points per game on 41.4% shooting with UMKC. He scored 20 or more points in 10 contests during the 2022-23 season and recorded a career-high 34 points in a triple-overtime loss at Denver. Allen reached double-digit scoring in 25 of his 29 games. He saw 1,006 minutes on the court, snatching 59 steals while recording 77 assists and 13 blocks in the process. The 6-4, 200-pound shooting guard crashed the glass as well, pulling in seven or more rebounds in seven contests, averaging five boards a game.
The Arden, North Carolina, native was named to the All-Summit League Second Team and Summit League All-Defensive Team last season. He was first in the conference in steals per game and ranked in the top 10 in field goal percentage, free throws made, points per game and minutes per game. He was ranked 28th nationally in steals per game and 57th in total steals.
One of Allen's best games of the 2022-23 season came against UCF's future conference mate Kansas State. He dropped 21 points, including eight rebounds and four steals in Manhattan.
Allen spent the first two years of his collegiate career playing for Cowley Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas. He started 21 games for the National Runners-Up in 2020-21, including starts in all four NJCAA National Tournament games.
He was listed as a four-star recruit in this year's transfer cycle by 24/7 Sports.
Allen is the second addition via the transfer portal ahead of UCF's first season as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The Knights announced on Thursday the addition of forward Omar Payne from Jacksonville. The two transfers join incoming freshmen Comeh Emuobor and Petras Padegimas.
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