Erving averaged nearly identical statistics in his sophomore season. He’s one of just six players to average over 20 points and rebounds in the history of NCAA men’s basketball. As a freshman, he averaged 25.7 points, 20.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting over 50 percent from the field. Erving played with the Minutemen for two seasons and led them to Yankee Conference Championship titles in both. When discussing the best overall athletes in the history of UMass, Julius Erving easily finds himself at the top. His jersey was retired to the Mullins Center rafters in 2004. Skinner’s heart and versatility set a great example for the program. Most notably he helped fellow UMass alumnus Julius Erving bring the Nets the 1976 ABA title. He spent six total seasons in the NBA with the Nets, Pistons and 76ers before going overseas to play for Joventut Badalona in Spain. His play helped him become a ninth-round selection in the 1974 NBA Draft. His most unique accolade is that he recorded the first triple double in Minutemen history in 1973 with 28 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists against St. He also made the Yankee Conference First Team in all three of his seasons. Skinner averaged of 15.6 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting an efficient 55.7 percent from the field. Along with the three Yankee Conference titles he helped to produce, his individual production was both consistent and spectacular. Despite his small stature at six-foot-three and 190 pounds, Skinner led the team in rebounding during all three of his seasons. Skinner spent a season on the freshman team before getting his chance to shine on varsity. There isn’t a single athlete in UMass history who defines the phrase “heart over height” like Al Skinner did in his three seasons with the team. He’s also known for his hugely influential contributions to the UMass Athletic Hall of Fame, which is now named after him. Burke spent a very brief stint with the Celtics organization after college before embarking on an accomplished law career. He also had impressive career averages of 17.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 45.9 percent from the field. Burke is the first Minuteman ever to be a team-leader in both points and assists in a season. You can’t recall the history of UMass basketball without mentioning George “Trigger” Burke, who’s one of just five players in the history of the program to have their jersey retired at the Mullins Center. Point Guard: George “Trigger” Burke (1954-1956) If there were a starting five consisting of the best Minuteman at each position, this what it could look like. By Richard Rodgers, Collegian Correspondentĭespite its recent struggles, the University of Massachusetts men’s basketball program has had a number of elite talents over the course of its history.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |