Yogi Oliff has been a key contributor to the Bears squad in his sophomore year. (Elle Su | Student Life)

In his sophomore season, Yogi Oliff has started every game for the Washington University men’s basketball team. The point guard, who was named to the University Athletic Association’s all-conference second team, leads the Bears in rebounds (7.3 per game), assists (3.8 per game), and steals (1.3 per game). In the Bears’ most recent game, an NCAA tournament second-round win over Illinois College, Oliff hit two free throws with 1.8 seconds remaining in overtime to send WashU to the Sweet 16. After his game-winning shots, Oliff sat down with Student Life to discuss that high-pressure situation, his adjustment to college basketball, his experience as a Jewish college athlete, and his interests off the court.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Student Life (SL): There’s only one place to start. Walk me through how you were feeling in the final seconds of the game Saturday night.

Yogi Oliff (YO): Honestly, there weren’t many thoughts going through my head. [I was] kind of trying to just be zen in those moments. You know, you don’t want to overthink, like at the end of the day, it’s a free throw. Everyone’s trying to make shots, you know, you’re not trying to miss. So you can kind of consume your mind with like ‘I have to do this, I have to make this.’ [You have to] just trust your preparation and go out there confidently, and that’s what I did.

SL: In your basketball career, have you ever been in a high-pressure situation like that?

YO: Yeah, it’s funny. My senior year of high school [there was a] huge conference game, packed crowd. We were inbounding the ball and my coach called the timeout and ran a play for me to set a charge on the guy guarding the inbounder, and we got it with one second left. I went to the line with one second, in a packed gym, and it was a one-and-one. I missed the first one in and out. And so it was literally like the same exact situation, down one here. It’s kind of funny, I was joking with my dad after the game [that it] was like a revenge game for me, just like proving [to] myself that I could, you know, convert in that high-pressure situation. So yeah, it was definitely nice to make them this time.

All eyes were on Oliff as he knocked down the game-winning free throws Saturday night. (Elle Su | Student Life)

SL: You’re a 6’3’’ point guard, on the smaller side for a college basketball player, yet you’ve led the team in rebounds and had numerous double-digit rebound games. What’s your key to success on the boards?

YO: I think it’s kind of like a mindset. I think the easy part is going to track down the rebounds, and like the hard part is boxing out. A lot of times our bigger guys have to box out the guys who are always around the paint — the opponents’ big guys — and it’s on the guards to come into the lane and clean up the rebounds. My biggest motivation to get rebounds is just to win our team extra possessions, you know, because at the end of the day, these games all come down to one or two possessions and if you can win more possessions, then you give yourself a good chance to win.

SL: You are a sophomore but have been thrust into a big role as a starter since early on freshman year. What have been the biggest adjustments from high school to college ball?

YO: Physically is the first thing. At the college level, everyone’s stronger, [especially] coming in as an 18-year-old playing against some like 23-year-olds. That’s a huge adjustment. And then I think, just in high school, I was pretty ball-dominant — I had the ball in my hands throughout the game. When you get to college, it’s an adjustment because everyone was kind of ball-dominant in their high school. 

SL: What has it been like to play under head coach Pat Juckem as part of this WashU program?

YO: It’s been awesome. I think WashU has a huge tradition of basketball success, so there’s a responsibility to kind of uphold that and also grow that even further. But, you know, [Juckem] is an awesome person. He cares about all of his players and that’s the most important thing outside of the court. In terms of basketball, he always has us prepared for our games, like our scouts are always very detailed and in-depth. Our whole coaching staff is just a coaching staff that you want to win for. 

SL: Looking forward, you have a big Sweet 16 game on Friday. How are you feeling about the matchup against Trine?

YO: Good, I mean, we’re definitely confident. There are 16 teams left, everyone’s really good. We know they’re a really good team; they’ve been really good all year. You know, we’re also a good team, so we feel very confident and we’re just excited for that opportunity.

SL: Is the tournament canceling spring break plans for you guys?

YO: Yeah. We talked at the beginning of the year that we don’t make spring break plans. We always planned on still being in the tournament during spring break. 

SL: Can you share a little about your experience playing for team USA in the Maccabi games?

YO: That was probably my favorite summer. It was coming into freshman year. You’re only together as a team for like three weeks in Israel, but we just got so close, traveling around the country and practicing together, playing games. It was just like a super tight-knit group, which made it such a memorable experience, and just being around everyone was an awesome experience. 

In college, Oliff has had to adjust to competing against older and bigger opponents. (Jialing Sun | Student Life)

SL: There is often little representation of Jews in high-level athletics. What does it mean for you to be a Jew competing at an elite level of college sports?

YO: Yeah, there’s not many of us, so it’s definitely cool. That’s a big part of my identity, my upbringing, so I have a lot of Jewish pride. [I’m] just trying to represent, share it in a positive way. On the court, if I can do that, then that’s a good thing. 

SL: At games, I can’t help but notice the large Jewish community cheering you on every week. What does that support mean to you?

YO: It’s awesome, that support really means a lot to me [and] it makes a huge difference in my experience. I hope they enjoy coming to the games; I’m sure it’s a lot of fun for them too. It’s just been awesome to see that Jewish community support me and the team as a whole. 

SL: Obviously, a number of your games come on Friday nights during Shabbat. Was it a tough decision for you about playing on Shabbat?

YO: I’ve played on Shabbat but I’ve actually never really traveled on Shabbat so it can be tough. There can be conflicts that arise but I always try to do my best to not compromise basketball [and] not compromise my religion. If I can kind of find that equilibrium, that middle place, then I try to do that to the best of my ability. 

SL: Off the court, you’re in the Olin School of Business. Do you know what you want to do career-wise?

YO: Right now, I’m doing a lot of career exploration, trying to talk to a lot of people who are successful in different industries within business. I’m honestly still exploring a lot. 

SL: What are some things you like to do off the court?

YO: I love to be outdoors, I like nice weather. As much as I can be outdoors, off screens, I love doing that. But I’m just a people person, I like hanging out with friends and family. I spend a lot of time in the gym, so outside of that, I just love building relationships and hanging out with people that I enjoy being around. 

SL: Last question, we ask this to all of the Student Life Athletes of the Week. Would you rather have fish for hands or adopt a child every time you hear “Bohemian Rhapsody”?

YO: I guess fish for hands.

SL: Any reason why?

YO: Just a process of elimination.

2024 AOTW Tracker: Adopt a Child 3, Fish for Hands 2