Josh Mballa

Class:
Senior
Position:
F
Ht./Wt.:
6-7 / 220
Experience:
TR
Hometown:
Bordeaux, France
High School:
Putnam Science Academy
Prev. College:
Buffalo

2022-23 (SENIOR): Appeared in 16 games for Ole Miss, making two starts … Averaged 9.4 minutes, 3.4 points, and 2.3 rebounds per game … Against UCF on December 14, scored a season-best 18 points and pulled in a season-high seven rebounds … Finished his NCAA career with 827 rebounds (7.2 per game) and 29 double-doubles.

BUFFALO: Played in 82 games for Buffalo, making a grand total of 64 starts for the Bulls … A two-time Second-Team All-MAC selection, as well as the 2021 MAC Defensive Player of the Year … Helped the Bulls punch their ticket into the 2021 NIT field … Ends his career ranked second all-time in rebounds per game (9.6), second in offensive rebounds (324), fifth in defensive rebounds (461), fifth in total rebounds (785), eight in blocks per game (0.8) and 10th in blocks (69) … Single-season record holder for Buffalo for most offensive rebounds (127) in 2019-20 season … Current single-game record-holder at UB for offensive rebounds (11, 2x), total rebounds (20, vs. Akron 2021) and steals (7, vs. Kent State 2021).

2021-22 (SENIOR*): Played in 28 games, starting 25 contests … Averaged 13.0 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds per game, while being named Second-Team All-MAC … Had nine double-doubles on the year beginning with 17 points and 10 rebounds at North Texas (Nov. 15) … Had 26 points and 17 rebounds against Miami (OH) (Dec. 29) … Also finished with 23 points and 17 at the RedHawks (Feb. 22) … Finished with 20 points and 11 boards at Bowling Green (Feb. 15).

2020-21 (JUNIOR): Played in 22 games, starting 19 of those contests … Named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and a Second-Team All-MAC selection … Averaged a double-double on the year with 15.3 points and a team-best 10.8 rebounds per contest … Set the MAC Tournament record for rebounds in a tournament with 50 over three games, tying the single-game record with 20 rebounds, while adding 16 points against Akron (March 12) … Added 23 points and 19 rebounds in the quarterfinal win over Miami (March 11) and had 16 points and 11 boards in the championship against Ohio (March 13) … Recorded a career high 27 points at Syracuse (Dec. 19), one of six times he scored 20 or more points … Had 22 points and 16 rebounds at Ball State (Feb. 2) after registering 19 points and 19 boards at home against the Cardinals (Jan. 9).

2019-20 (SOPHOMORE): Played in all 32 games, starting the first 20 before coming off the bench for the final 12 … Averaged 10.8 points per game and 9.6 rebounds per contest … Finished with 308 rebounds, the most by a UB player in over 40 years … Finished in the top 10 nationally in offensive rebounding … Had 11 double-doubles on the season … Had 15 points against UConn (Nov. 21) and 13 points and 11 rebounds against Towson (Nov. 22) … Recorded 14 rebounds in Buffalo’s win at DePaul (Dec. 8) and had 14 points and 15 rebounds against St. Bonaventure (Dec. 30) … Had 12 points and 13 rebounds at Miami (OH) (Jan. 10) and finished with a season-best 18 points against Western Michigan (Jan. 21) … Had 13 points and 17 rebounds at Akron (Jan. 28) in his first game off the bench, a stretch of three straight double-doubles … Recorded 16 points and 15 boards against Ball State (Feb. 18) and 13 points and 14 boards at Kent State (Feb. 21) … Over the final two regular season games, he recorded 10 points and 14 boards against Miami (OH) (March 3) and 16 points and 12 boards at Bowling Green (March 6) … Also led the team in blocked shots with 35 on the year.

TEXAS TECH: Played in a total of 17 games for Texas Tech, averaging 3.4 minutes per contest … Ended his time with the Red Raiders having scored 13 points, grabbed five rebounds and recorded two assists, steals and blocks in his one year on campus … Was a member of Texas Tech’s 31-7 squad that reached the NCAA National Championship title game.

2018-19 (FRESHMAN): Appeared in 17 games in his freshman season for the Red Raiders with a season-high three points at Kansas … Also scored in games against Incarnate Word, Northern Colorado, Northwestern State, Abilene Christian and Baylor … Finished the season 4-for-9 from the field and had two blocked shots coming against Kansas and West Virginia … Gained NCAA Tournament experience in the second-round win over Buffalo and the Sweet 16 victory over Michigan … A member of Texas Tech’s 31-7 squad that ultimately would reach the 2019 NCAA National Championship before falling to Virginia in overtime 85-77.

HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut under Tom Espinosa … Turned in a 38-4 record and won the program’s first national championship in 2018 … Was born in Detroit, Michigan but grew up in Bordeaux, France where he played for Kameet Academy while growing up before coming back to the United States for high school … possesses extensive international experience with the French National Team … Played in the FIBA U17 World Championships in 2016 and the FIBA U18 European Championships in 2017.