Anyone remember LC Bowen?

[johncooper44691]

I saw Bowen play on a terrific freshmen team during the 1965-66 season. His jumper was memorable in that he didn't hang at the top but rather shot on the way up. Really smooth, really accurate. He also did a lot of double-pumping in the air when inside against bigger players. I think, given a little more of a chance, he could have been an NBA player. His style was like Keith (Jamal) Wilkes.

Bowen had to very good running mates on that freshmen team. Calvin Criddle, a great leaper, was the other forward. The best guard was the compact and very strong Al Smith, who later went on to play several years in the ABA.

Others included the 6'10" Craig Buck, Ronnie Rhodes, Steve Doty, Dave Somebody (from Galesburg), and Rick Anheuser.

This team could have beaten many lesser D1 varsities.

[Da Coach]

I saw Bowen play on a terrific freshmen team during the 1965-66 season. His jumper was memorable in that he didn't hang at the top but rather shot on the way up. Really smooth, really accurate. He also did a lot of double-pumping in the air when inside against bigger players. I think, given a little more of a chance, he could have been an NBA player. His style was like Keith (Jamal) Wilkes.

Bowen had to very good running mates on that freshmen team. Calvin Criddle, a great leaper, was the other forward. The best guard was the compact and very strong Al Smith, who later went on to play several years in the ABA.

Others included the 6'10" Craig Buck, Ronnie Rhodes, Steve Doty, Dave Somebody (from Galesburg), and Rick Anheuser.

This team could have beaten many lesser D1 varsities.

Dave Lundstrom is who you are trying to recall. And I recall all those guys, most of whom went on to fine college careers with the varsity.

Here are the stats from both the 1965-1966 varsity team (from the 1966-67 media guide), as well as the freshman team. L.C. Bowen averaged 23.8 ppg and 11.4 rpg for the freshmen, and Al Smith and Cal Criddle averaged about 16 ppg. I have no doubt he would have been a star if he had been allowed to play on the varsity that year, but freshmen were ineligible in those days.

Tom Campbell was also a fine player and very good outside shooter for the varsity that season, but he left to join the military, and was never quite as good when he returned to finish his career.




Here are bios for the freshmen players of 1965-66 from the 1965-66 media guide-

[wily coyote]

Where was Willie Betts from. Wasn't he from Michigan also? Best jumper I ever saw in a Bu uniform.

[Da Coach]

Where was Willie Betts from. Wasn't he from Michigan also? Best jumper I ever saw in a Bu uniform.

Betts was from River Rouge High School, River Rouge, Michigan.
It's just outside Detroit-

https://www.google.com/maps/place/River+Rouge,+MI/@42.2583737,-83.2034095,10z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x883b33d3dd24aa7b:0x8d8fd8e42aeeb162!8m2!3d42.2733718!4d-83.1343677?hl=en&authuser=0