By Kevin McPherson

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas junior-to-be Gabe Osabuohien has been dismissed from the team and will not return to play for the Razorbacks.

The University of Arkansas sports information department made the announcement of the dismissal via press release Thursday morning.

“We have set a level of expectations for our student-athletes on and off the court,” Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman said in the release. “After discussions with Gabe, it was decided that it would be best to part ways. We thank him for his time at Arkansas and wish him well.”

A source on Aug. 6 confirmed Osabuohien had been notified by letter that he was suspended indefinitely, and that future courses of action were effectively undecided at that time.

If he transfers to another NCAA Division 1 school, Osabuohien will have a transfer-redshirt season in ’19-20 with two years of playing eligibility beginning in ’20-21.

Osabuohien (6-8, 221, forward, Southwest Christian Academy in Little Rock, Toronto native) played in all 34 games as a sophomore at Arkansas in 2018-19, averaging 15.1 minutes, 3.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 32.8% field goals (including 20.0% from 3) and 47.1% free throws.

He scored a career-high 13 points in a road loss against Ole Miss in January, but his best overall statistical game was in March when he finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block in 17 minutes in an 84-72 victory at Providence in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.

As a freshman in ’16-17, Osabuohien played in 20 games and averaged 6.8 minutes, 1.1 points, and 1.4 rebounds per game on a team that finished fourth in the SEC and played in the NCAA tournament.

Osabuohien was a late addition — he committed to the previous Hogs’ coaching staff in May of 2017 — as he became the fourth signee in a heralded 2017 in-state signing class that included Daniel Gafford of El Dorado, Khalil Garland of Little Rock Parkview, and Darious Hall of Little Rock Mills.

Following his senior season at SCA in ’16-17 in which he helped lead the Lions to the NACA independent-school national championship, Osabuohien joined Gafford, Garland, and Hall in a couple of postseason all-star events in Little Rock.