Lewis Lloyd, Willie McCarter, Red Murrell, Chuck Orebaugh, Walt O'Connor Headline Elite Drake Team As the University Celebrates 100 Basketball Seasons

Five all-Americans headline the all-time Drake men's basketball team which was disclosed tonight at a banquet commemorating 100 years of basketball at the school.

The team will be recognized during halftime of Saturday's Drake-Evansville game at 7:05 p.m. at the Knapp Center.

The range of former players starts with Ted Payseur, who lettered four years from 1918-22, and concludes with former standout guard Lynnrick Rogers who played from 1993-97.

Lewis Lloyd [left], Willie McCarter, Red Murrell [right], Chuck Orebaugh and Walt O'Connor head the elite team. Murrell, who owns nine Drake records including career points (1,657) was a third team all-American as a senior in 1957-58 after finishing fifth in the nation in scoring with a 26.7 average.

Orebaugh, a native of Des Moines, was Drake's first all-American in 1936-37 and led the Bulldogs to their first two Missouri Valley Conference championships in basketball in 1935 and 1936. O'Connor led the Valley in scoring as a senior guard en route to earning all-American honors in 1940-41.

McCarter, named to the Helms Athletic Foundation first-team All-American squad as a senior in 1969, was the leading scorer (20.4-point average) on the Drake team which went 26-5, finishing third in the 1969 NCAA Final Four. He was named to the 1969 All-NCAA Final Four Tournament team and also named the most valuable player in the 1969 NCAA Midwest Regional.

A two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, Lloyd was selected to The Associated Press All-American third team in 1979-80 and 1980-81. He ranked second in the nation in scoring (30.2 avg.) and rebounding (15.0 avg.) as a junior, becoming the first college player in 29 years to finish second or higher in both categories. He averaged 26.3 points as a senior, leading Drake to the National Invitation Tournament. He set the Drake record for most career 30-point games at 22.

Here's a capsule on each all-time team honoree:

Ted Payseur (1918-22), Forward

The first Drake basketball star ever, Payseur brought the Bulldogs out of the Missouri Valley Conference cellar for the first time with the team posting a 36-25 record in three years after winning only 33 of 154 previous games in history. He was a first-team all-state selection twice and started as a third-team all-MVC player player as a sophomore. He was named second team All-MVC as a junior and first-team all-Valley as a senior in 1922, pacing Drake to a third-place finish in the league. Payseur would go on to become athletic director and golf coach at Northwestern University.

Bill Boelter (1921-24), Forward

Boelter was the second Bulldog to ever earn a spot on the first-team all-Valley basketball team. A three-sport star at Drake, Boelter finished second in scoring one season from a guard position. He later coached Drake's basketball team for seven seasons from 1925-32 and was also an assistant football coach for all of those years under Ossie Solem.

Chuck Everett (1923-27), Forward

Everett was one of the most decorated players in Drake history, winning 10 letters in basketball, football and tennis. He was twice a first-team all-state selection in his four-year career at Drake. He also was a first-team All-MVC selection in 1926 and a second-team choice as a senior. He led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring in 1926.

Chuck Orebaugh (1933-37), Guard

The Des Moines native was the first three-time all-Missouri Valley Conference performer and was Drake's first All-American in basketball as selected by the Helms Athletic Foundation. He led the Bulldogs to their first two league championships in basketball in 1935 and 1936. He also was captain of the Drake football team. His brother, Sam, was quarterback on Drake's only undefeated football team in 1922. His father, Claude, also was a Drake track letterman, graduating in 1902.

Bill Evans (1942-43, '46-49) Forward

The 6-foot 3-inch forward played before keeping rebounding statistics was fashionable, but he is one of the best rebounders to play for the Bulldogs. He was a first-team All-MVC performer in 1948 and 1949 and a second team selection the two previous years. He scored 629 points in his career and was heralded as one of the school's top all-around players. He also lettered three times in baseball.

Walt O'Connor (1938-41) Guard

O'Connor led the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring (10.8 avg.) as a senior while earning first-team All-American honors by the Helms Athletic Foundation. He earned all-Valley honors in 1939, while helping lead Drake to a share of the league title. He also was a first-team All-MVC choice in 1941, being selected to play in the College All-Star Basketball Classic in Chicago, Ill., He also lettered in football and baseball, playing with Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League.


Gus Ollrich (1946-48, 1951-54) Guard

His basketball career was interrupted by military service, but he returned after a four-year absence with strength and maturity. Gus was the youngest of three brothers to star in basketball at Drake. He graduated from Drake ranked third on the school career scoring list with 932 points and owned the school single-season free throw percentage mark at .836 set in 1952-53. He led the Bulldogs in scoring in 1951-52 (12.1 avg.) and in 1952-53 (16.9).

Red Murrell (1955-58) Forward

He is the all-time career-scoring leader in Drake with 1,657 points. He was a two-time first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference player and was selected third team All-American by the Helms Foundation as a senior. He ranked fifth in the nation in scoring in 1958 with a 26.7 average and was 13th in the nation in scoring as a junior in 1957. He enjoyed 18, 30-plus scoring games in his career.He also became the first player ever to collect 20 points and 20 rebounds in the same game by tallying 24 points and 20 rebounds in a 1956 home game against Los Angeles State. But he saved the best for last, setting Drake's single-game scoring record with 51 points in his last collegiate game as a Bulldog against Houston. He set six other school records and was the first Drake player ever to have his number retired.

Gus Guydon (1958-61) Guard

Guydon was a two-time first-team All-MVC selection as well as Bulldog co-captain. He led the Bulldogs in scoring as a junior and senior with an 18.5 scoring average. Guydon's basket at the buzzer allowed Drake to beat Iowa State, 83-81 in a 1961 game at Vets Auditorium. One week later he scored 35 points as Drake upset No. 3 ranked Bradley, 86-76, while snapping the Braves' 46-game home winning streak. He would later serve as an assistant coach under Maury John's great NCAA Tournament teams.

Gene West (1962-65) Guard

He was instrumental in leading Drake to its first ever post-season tournament - a trip to Madison Square Garden in New York and the prestigious National Invitation Tournament in 1964. He was one of the standouts on the Bulldogs' 1963-64 Missouri Valley Conference championship, helping lead a team that had finished last in the league the year before. He graduated from Drake, ranking eighth on the school career-scoring list with 877 points. He led Drake in scoring in 1964-65 with a 16.8 average, while earning first-team all-Valley honors. He played with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1966-67.

Willie Wise (1967-69) Forward

Willie was a standout performer for Drake's 1968-69 Final Four team and would go on to achieve stardom in the American Basketball Association. Despite his 6-foot 5-inch frame, the forward shot 52 percent from the floor and grabbed a then school single-season record 343 rebounds in 1968-69 for a 11.4 rebounding average. Despite playing only two years, he also ranked fourth on the school career rebounding list with 626 boards. Willie, along with former Drake standout Bob Netolicky, was named to a 30-member all-time American Basketball Association team in 1997. Wise spent most of his ABA career with the Utah Jazz and joined players such as Julius Erving, Artis Gilmore and George Gervin on the ABA all-time team.

Willie McCarter (1966-69) Guard

He was the leading scorer with a 20.4 average on the Drake team, which went 26-5, finishing third in the 1969 NCAA Final Four behind UCLA. He was named to the 1969 all-NCAA Final Four Tournament team and also named the most valuable player in the 1969 NCAA Midwest Regional. Earning first-team all-American honors by the Helms Foundation as a senior, McCarter was a two-time first-team all-Missouri Valley Conference performer and set three school records. He departed Drake ranked second on the school career scoring charts with 1,626 points for a 21.1 average in his three-year career. Willie also led Drake in scoring as a junior with a 23.2 average in 1967-68. He played perhaps his best all around game in his final contest in a Drake uniform, collecting 28 points and 10 assists as Drake roared past North Carolina, 104-84, in the third place game of the 1969 NCAA Tournament. He was a 1969 first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Lakers and he also played with the Portland Trailblazers

Dolph Pulliam (1966-69) Forward

He ranked as one of Drake's best all-around performers, renown as a defensive star in addition to his scoring and rebounding abilities. The vocal leader on the 1968-69 NCAA Final Four team, he left Drake ranked No. 11 on the career scoring list and No. 9 on the career rebounding charts.After a 118-99 loss at North Texas State on Jan. 30, 1969, Pulliam gathered his teammates for a "no holds barred" meeting which resulted in 12 straight victories, an MVC title and the historic battle with UCLA in the NCAA Final Four. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics and also turned down an opportunity to play with the Dallas Cowboys. After a successful television career in Des Moines, HE has worked at his alma mater for the last 17 years.

Jeff Halliburton (1969-71) Forward

He was the first Drake player ever to be named the Valley Player of the Year when he earned the honor in 1970-71 as a senior. He led Drake in scoring as a junior and senior and led the team to its only undisputed MVC championship in 1969-70. The two-time first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection led the Bulldogs to the championship game of the 1970 NCAA Midwest Regional as well as the 1971 NCAA Midwest Regional. Halliburton owned the highest two=season scoring total at Drake with 993 points until All-American Lewis Lloyd surpassed it. Halliburton was a 1971 NBA draft choice of Atlanta and played with the Hawks and the Philadelphia 76ers.

Wayne Kreklow (1975-79) Guard

He played in 109 straight games and finished his career as the No. 3 all-time scorer at Drake with 1,471 points. He was a first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference selection as a senior in 1978-79 and also earned Associated Press honorable mention All-American honors. He connected on an amazing 19 of 22 shots while scoring 43 points in a 1978 victory at Memphis State, which is the fourth best single-game scoring effort in Drake history. He set the Drake single-season free throw percentage record of .857. Kreklow also was a member of the Boston Celtics 1980-81 NBA championship team.

Ken Harris (1973-77) Forward

A two-time first-team all-Valley performer, Harris holds the school single-game rebounding mark at 26 in a home win against Tulsa. He ranks 6th on the school career rebounding (702) and 8th in career scoring (1,310) charts. He averaged 19.5 points as a senior. He was a key member in guiding the Bulldogs to a 19-10 record in 1974-75 climaxed by winning the National Commissioners Invitational Tournament in Louisville, Kentucky as Drake whipped Southern Cal, Bowling Green and Arizona.

Lewis Lloyd (1979-81) Forward

Lloyd made an immediate impact upon his arrival at Drake, being named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in his first season in 1979-80. He also earned third-team all-American honors by the Associated Press as a junior and senior. He holds the Drake single-season scoring record with a 30.2 average, while finishing second in the nation in scoring as a junior. He also ranked second in the country in rebounding with a 15.0 average to become the first player in 29 years to finish in second or higher in both categories in the same season. Black Magic averaged 26.3 points as a senior, while repeating as the MVC Player of the Year and also leading Drake to the 1981 National Invitation Tournament. Lloyd, who scored 30 or more points in 22 games during his career, had his number - 30 - retired following his senior season. Lloyd played in the NBA for five years and was a member of the Houston Rockets who played in the 1986 NBA Finals.

Melvin Mathis (1982-86) Forward

He was one of the greatest combination scorers and rebounders in Bulldog history. A three-time first-team All-MVC choice, Mathis is the only player in Drake history to rank in the top five in both the school's career rebounding and scoring charts. He is Drake's all-time rebounding leader (854) and ranks second in career scoring (1,651). He led Drake in rebounding all four years in his career and led the team in scoring in 1982-83 (11.8) and 1983-84 (19.1).

Sam Roark (1986-90) Forward

Considered undersized at 6-6 playing in the frontline, Roark played both forward and center for the Bulldogs, earning All-Missouri Valley Conference honors three straight years. He led the led the league in rebounding in 1988 and in field goal percentage in 1990. He ranks second in school career rebounding (792) and 11th in scoring (1,257) lists. He had 28 points and 22 rebounds at Southern Illinois and is the only player in Drake history to record a triple-double by collecting 21 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 11 assists against Iowa State. He posted 21 double-doubles in his last two years at Drake.

Lynnrick Rogers (1993-97) Guard

A three-time all-Valley guard, he is the only player in Drake history to score more than 1,500 points and collect 180 steals. And when he graduated he also set the Drake school career three-point baskets with 151. He wasted little time as a freshman, asserting himself as one of the top newcomers in the Missouri Valley Conference In his sophomore season he was named to the Valley's most improved and all-underrated teams. He ranks fifth in school career scoring (1,546) and third in steals (180) lists. He established an MVC Tournament record in games played in St. Louis by scoring 38 points in a 1997 upset win against Wichita State.