UE's All-Time Men's Basketball Team
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- University of Evansville basketball fans have done the impossible - chosen a 15-man All-Time Basketball Team.
Purple Aces' fans cast more than 5,000 ballots in the popularity contest during the past month. An original list of 61 players was pared to 30 in December by a committee of former players, media, fans and college administrators. The fans then voted for their favorites by filling out ballots at UE home games during January, and on the UE athletics department website, www.GoPurpleAces.com.
"There's so much tradition and success in our basketball program that it's impossible to say, "These are the 15 best players," says UE Director of Athletics Bill McGillis. "This is, however, a great way to get our fans and alumni involved in UE Basketball and a great way to honor our past."
Fans also chose Basketball Hall of Fame coach Arad McCutchan as UE's All-Time Coach. All 30 finalists for the All-Time Team and the late Coach McCutchan were honored tonight at halftime of the Evansville-Drake game at Roberts Stadium.
The 15-man University of Evansville All-Time Basketball Team:
Hugh Ahlering, 1957-59
Don Buse, 1970-72
Gus Doerner, 1939-42
Andy Elkins, 1992-95
Scott Haffner, 1987-89
John Harrawood, 1954-57
Larry Humes, 1964-66
Reed Jackson, 1992-95
Brad Leaf, 1979-82
Scott Shreffler, 1989-93
Marty Simmons, 1987-88
Jerry Sloan, 1963-65
Ed Smallwood, 1958-60
Marcus Wilson, 1996-99
Dale Wise, 1959-61
The remaining finalists for the All-Time Team:
Bob Barnett, 1949-51
Harold Brown, 1945-47
Parrish Casebier, 1991-93
Clyde Cox, 1955-57
Jeff Frey, 1974-77
Dan Godfread, 1987-90
Bounce Harper 1926-28
Richie Johnson, 1982-85
Mel Lurker, 1958-60
Ralph Rea, 1925-27
Bob Sakel, 1948-51
Jim Smallins, 1955-57
Ed Stuteville, 1922-24
Sam Watkins, 1964-66
Herb Williams, 1965-67
A big thank you from the University of Evansville to all who voted, and congratulations to all 30 finalists on the All-Time Team.
Below are notes on each of the finalists:
Sixty-one UE basketball players were initially selected as candidates for the Aces' All-Time Basketball Team. The list of 61 includes all players who meet at least one of the following criteria: All-American, 1,000-point scorer, first team all-conference, UE Hall of Fame member, or career leader in a major statistical category.
Those listed below with a bullet (•) beside their name were later chosen by a committee of 20 as one of the top 10 players in their era. Those 30 players (10 from each of three eras) are on the ballot for fans to choose from in selecting their 15-man All-Time Aces Basketball Team. The final 15-man team includes the top two vote-getters from each era, plus the next nine who received the most votes.
1919-1956 Era
• Bob Barnett - '49-51 - 13th all-time scoring (1356) - member of the '51 NAIA All-America 2nd team - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in '75-76
• Harold Brown - '45-47 - 10th leading scorer in the nation in 1945-46 - inducted into UE Hall of Fame 1993
Jerry Clayton - '54-56 - 1955 ICC Player of the Year as a freshman - NAIA First Team All-American - played until December of his sophomore year
• Clyde Cox - '55-57 -37th all-time scoring (1010) - 10th FT Pct (.775)- inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 1975
• Gus Doerner - '39-42 - 23rd all-time scoring (1182) - 7th in ppg at 24.4 - '41 & '42 All-American - 1st All-American - charter member of UE Hall of Fame in '72-73
Lowell Galloway - Leading rebounder in the 40's - Inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 1974
Joe Hafele - '48-50 - Standout in the late '40s - All-OVC
• Bounce Harper - 1927-28 led state in scoring with 223 points and led Aces to 14-3 record - charter member of UE Hall of Fame in '72-73
Quentin Hartke - Team captain in the 30's - Inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 2001
• John Harrawood - '54-57 - 9th all-time scoring (1479) - 6th in ppg at 18.9/game - '56, 57 ICC player of year - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in '76-77
Ed Katterhenry - Four-year letterwinner - led team in scoring in '38-39 - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 84-85.
Arad McCutchan - '31-34 letterwinner - standout player - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in '79-80
Kern McGlothlin - Outstanding player in the 30's - inducted in UE Hall of Fame in 1983
• Ralph Rea - Played in the 20's - top player on outstanding early teams - charter member of UE Hall of Fame in 1972
Walter Riggs - Played in '30s - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 77-78
• Bob Sakel - '48-51 - 1951 UPI All-American (Honorable Mention) - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 74-75 - Aces' first NBA draft pick
• Jim Smallins - '55-57 - Inducted into UE Hall of Fame 1976 - averaged 16.3 ppg - set school rebounding single-game record of 31
• Edward Stuteville - Standout in the 20's - charter member of UE Hall of Fame in 1972
D.W. Vaughn - Team captain in the 20's/30's - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 1999
Bob Walker - '54-56 - 33rd all-time scoring (1044) - member of 1955 & 1956 ICC champs
Bob Wessel - '54-57 - 1954 First Team All-Conference
Roy Wyttenbach - Played in 1926-28 - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 1984
1957-1977 Era
• Hugh Ahlering - '57-59 - 34th all-time scoring (1032) - 1959 1st team All American - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 73-74
Buster Briley - '62-64 - 14th all-time scoring (1335) - 7th w/18.2 ppg - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 76-77
• Don Buse - '70-72 - 11th all-time scoring (1426) - 9th w/ 16.9/game - '71 and '72 ICC Player of Year - 1st & 3rd Team All-American - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 77-78
Rick Coffey - '70-72 - Member of the '71 National Championship team - two-time All-ICC - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 1987.
Jerry Conrad - '70-74 - 30th all-time scoring (1075)
Harold Cox - '56-59 - 1959 First Team All-Conference - UPI (Honorable Mention) All-American - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in '83-84
• Jeff Frey - '74-77 - 16th all-time scoring (1324) - 9th with 8.0 rpg and 6th with 800 total rebounds - AP 3rd Team All-American
Russ Grieger - '63-65 - Point guard on '65 national championship team - averaged 9.5 ppg in '64-65 - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 80-81
• Larry Humes - '64-66 - All-time leading scorer (2236) - 26.4/game (1st) - top two totals for points in season (941,837) - 1966 ICC Player of Year - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in '73-74
• Mel Lurker - '58-60 - 27th all-time scoring (1114) - 6th with 10.1 rpg, 5th with 844 total rebounds - inducted into the Aces' Hall of Fame in 79-80
Tom Niemeier - '66-68 - NABC (2nd team) and UPI (Honorable Mention) All-American in 1968
Mike Platt - '73-77 - 25th all-time scoring (1135)
Howard Pratt - '65-67 - 35th all-time scoring (1030) - 8.5 rpg is 7th best
Marv Pruett - '60-63 - 26th all-time scoring (1122)
• Jerry Sloan - '63-65 - 17th all-time scoring (1320) 2nd with 12.4 rpg and 1053 total - '63 and '65 ICC Player of Year - charter member of UE Hall of Fame in 1972
• Ed Smallwood - 58-60 - 3rd all-time in scoring (1898) - 3rd in ppg at 23.1 - 3rd in rpg at 11.9 & 981 total - '58 and '59 ICC player of the year - two-time All-American - charter member of UE Hall of Fame in '72
• Sam Watkins - '64-66 - 18th all-time scoring (1287) - inducted into UE Hall of Fame 1977
John Wellemeyer - '69-71 - 21st all-time scoring (1200) - member of the '71 national championship team - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 1980.
Steve Welmer - '70-72 - 32nd all-time scoring (1059) - 8th with 8.2 rpg - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 86-87
• Herb Williams - '65-67 - First team all-ICC 1967 - fourth in total rebounds (879) and fifth in rebounding average (11.1) - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 80-81
• Dale Wise - '59-61 - 22nd all-time scoring (1197) - 1st with 14.6 rpg and 1197 total rebounds - '61 ICC Player of the Year - UPI 2nd Team All-American - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 75-76
1978-Present Era
Theren Bullock - '79-82 - 28th all-time scoring (1107) - 7th FT Pct (.782)
• Parrish Casebier - '91-93 - 7th leading scorer (1,535) - 1st in career FTs (509) - 25.4 ppg in '91-92 is 5th best in school history - '92 MCC Player of the Year - 1st team all-MCC '92 and '93
Clint Cuffle - '01-04 - 18th all-time scoring (1307) - 5th most 3-pt FGs (184)
• Andy Elkins - '92-1995 - 4th all-time scoring (1761) - 5th Field Goals - 10th FG Pct - 8th in assists - first team all-MCC and first team all-MVC -inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 2002-2003
• Dan Godfread - '87-90 - 12th all-time scoring (1386) - 2nd FG Pct (.600) - 7th total rebounds (737) - first team all-MCC ?89 - 1st in career blocked shots (226)
• Scott Haffner - '87-89 - 5th all-time scoring (1686) - 5th assists - 2nd FT Pct, - 5th ppg - 1989 MCC Player of Year - holds Individual record for scoring 65 points in a game - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 94-95 - AP & UPI Honorable Mention All-American
Brian Hill - '87-90 - 31st all-time scoring (1069) - 1st FG Pct (.631)
Chris Hollender - '95-98 - 36th all-time scoring (1029)
• Reed Jackson - '92-95 - 29th all-time scoring (1101) - 9th with 712 rebounds - 3rd with 437 assists - 1st in career steals (150)
• Richie Johnson - '82-85 - 19th all-time scoring (1282) - 2-time Sporting News Honorable Mention All-American - first team all-MCC ?82
• Brad Leaf - '79-82 - AP & Sporting News Honorable Mention All-American - first team all-MCC three times - 6th all-time scoring (1605) - 4th field goals - 6th FG Pct - 4th FT Pct - 9th Assists - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in 88-89
Bubby Mukes - '83-86 - 15th all-time scoring (1327) - 9th with 571 field goals
Adam Seitz - '99-02 - 24th all-time scoring (1155) - 5th FT Pct (.795)
• Scott Shreffler - '89-93 - 10th all-time scoring (1454) - 2nd assists (521)
• Marty Simmons - '87-88 - 20th all-time scoring (1265) in just two seasons - 2nd with 24.3 ppg - 4th most points in a season - first team all-MCC both years - inducted into UE Hall of Fame in '96-97
Craig Snow - '98-01 - 8th all-time scoring (1530) - first team all-MVC 2000
Jeremy Stanton - '98-01 - Holds record for assists in a game with 15 and is all-time assist leader with 601- member of '99 MVC champs
• Marcus Wilson - '96-99 - 2nd all-time scoring (2053) - 17.3 ppg (8th) - 1st FT Pct (.8869) - Member of the '99 MVC championship team - 1999 MVC Player of the Year
(•) Finalist
Below are the records of the five coaches who spent at least five years as head coach at Evansville.
UE Coaching Records:
John Harmon...(7 yrs.)...1923-30...59-50 (.541)
Bill Slyker...(13)...1930-43...123-96 (.562)
Arad McCutchan...(31)...1946-77...514-314 (.622)
Dick Walters...(7)...1978-85...114-87 (.567)
Jim Crews...(17)...1985-02...294-209 (.584)
