Career Highlights: Named First Team All-Big Ten by the league coaches and Second Team by the media as a senior. Earned Third Team All-Conference honors as a junior and was an Honorable Mention selection as a sophomore. Is the first player in school history to record 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds and is the 12th player in Big Ten history to accomplish the feat. Holds the all-time Illinois career marks in rebounding (1,023 rebounds) and field goal percentage (.617), ranks fourth in blocked shots (139), and 17th all-time in scoring (1,383 points). Finished collegiate career tied with teammate Dee Brown for the most career wins (114) in school history.
Senior (2005-06): Ranked third in the Big Ten in rebounding (9.1 rpg) while averaging 13.6 points a contest. Placed second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (.624, ninth nationally). Led the team in scoring 10 times and posted 12 double-doubles. Tied his career-high of 23 points three times, vs. Xavier and twice vs. Michigan. Scored 16 points and matched a career-high with 15 rebounds vs. Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament. Led team with 19 points and nine rebounds vs. Washington in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Junior (2004-05): Led the team in rebounding (7.6 rpg, fifth in the Big Ten) and blocked shots while pacing the conference in field goal percentage (.621). Registered six double-doubles, including three during the NCAA Tournament. Named Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 12.7 points and 10.3 rebounds in three games. Scored 11 points and grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds vs. Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Set a career-high with 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting vs. Nevada in the second round.
Sophomore (2003-04): Led the team and ranked fourth in the Big Ten in rebounding (7.3 rpg). Posted seven double-doubles. Scored season-high 21 points vs. Memphis. Pulled down a season-high 14 rebounds vs. Northwestern. Tallied 16 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocked shots in a win over Michigan State.
Freshman (2002-03): Averaged 7.0 points and 5.8 rebounds. Led the team in rebounding nine times. Set season-highs with 19 points and 12 rebounds at Penn State. Posted 10 points and nine rebounds vs. Western Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Named to the first-ever Big Ten All-Freshman Team.
Strengths: Runs the floor exceptionally well for a player his size. Can score with lefty jump-hook and has a good nose for the ball on both ends of the floor.
Personal: Majored in sport management. Father, Dale, played football and mother, Barb, was a swimmer at Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Also played football and baseball in high school.
|