Double Trouble: Purdue's Caleb Swanigan Boiling as Double-Double Dynamo

February 5th, 2017 - 11:18

If a sensation such as Stephen Curry doesn't do it, then can anyone just do it? Curry (25.3 ppg for Davidson from 2006-07 through 2008-09) fell just shy of supplanting Fred Hetzel (25.7) as the Wildcats' leader in career scoring average. Hetzel also holds the school mark in rebounding average. In the midst of Purdue's Caleb Swanigan dominating with double-doubles (first to 20 such outings this campaign), he doesn't have a chance to become the Boilermakers' all-time leader in ppg (Rick Mount with 32.3 from 1967-68 through 1969-70) or rpg (Terry Dischinger with 13.6 from 1959-60 through 1961-62). If a standout such as Swanigan can't achieve the feat, a question bubbles up as to what players for other major colleges are atop both of these career average lists with double-digit figures?

But first things first. Double-crossing enabled Purdue to progress to an authentic Final Four candidate when Swanigan de-committed from a pledge with Michigan State two years ago and aligned with the Boilermakers, giving them one of the nation's most imposing frontcourts. Swanigan's reversal dropped a load on the Spartans even more than the weight he shed as a 350-pound high schooler. Roosevelt Barnes, Swanigan's guardian, averaged 2.7 points and 1.1 rebounds per game as a senior in 1980-81 under Boilers coach Gene Keady, who played football for Kansas State before becoming a 19th-round choice as a back by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1958 NFL draft. Barnes, a 6-2 guard, collected 14 points and 23 rebounds in 24 games for Purdue's 1980 Final Four team after scoring 39 points in 43 games the previous two campaigns. College teammate of longtime coach Kevin Stallings played briefly for Fort Wayne in the CBA. Barnes, who led the Boilers in tackles for loss with nine in 1981, was a 10th-round NFL draft choice before competing four years from 1982 through 1985 with the Detroit Lions.

All-time greats Rick Barry (Miami FL), Larry Bird (Indiana State), Wilt Chamberlain (Kansas), Julius Erving (Massachusetts), Elvin Hayes (Houston), Bob Lanier (St. Bonaventure), Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati) and Bill Russell (San Francisco) aren't the only players to excel in scoring and rebounding at the collegiate level. CollegeHoopedia.com assembled the following list of individuals holding both the career scoring and rebounding average standards with double-digit figures for their schools while classified as major colleges at least 30 years (minimum of two seasons):

School Scoring/Rebounding Leader PPG RPG Career Seasons
Alabama Jerry Harper 20.1 18.2 1952-53 through 1955-56
Brigham Young John Fairchild 20.92 12.8 1963-64 and 1964-65
UC Irvine Kevin Magee 26.3 12.3 1980-81 and 1981-82
Canisius Larry Fogle 29.7 12.1 1973-74 and 1974-75
Cincinnati Oscar Robertson 33.8 15.2 1957-58 through 1959-60
The Citadel Gary Daniels 19.44 11.9 1959-60 through 1961-62
Colorado Cliff Meely 24.3 12.1 1968-69 through 1970-71
Davidson Fred Hetzel 25.7 13.8 1962-63 through 1964-65
Detroit Dave DeBusschere 24.8 19.4 1959-60 through 1961-62
Drake Lewis Lloyd 28.2 12.4 1979-80 and 1980-81
Florida Neal Walk 20.8 15.3 1966-67 through 1968-69
George Washington Joe Holup 21.4 19.5 1952-53 through 1955-56
Houston Elvin Hayes 31.0 17.2 1965-66 through 1967-68
Illinois Nick Weatherspoon 20.9 11.4 1970-71 through 1972-73
Indiana State Larry Bird 30.3 13.3 1976-77 through 1978-79
Iona Warren Isaac 21.5 18.1 1962-63 through 1964-65
Iowa State Don Smith 22.3 13.7 1965-66 through 1967-68
Kansas Wilt Chamberlain 29.9 18.3 1956-57 and 1957-58
Louisville Wes Unseld 20.6 18.9 1965-66 through 1967-68
Massachusetts Julius Erving 26.3 20.2 1969-70 and 1970-71
Miami (Fla.) Rick Barry 29.8 16.5 1962-63 through 1964-65
Mississippi State Bailey Howell 27.1 17.0 1956-57 through 1958-59
Montana State Jack Gillespie 20.6 13.5 1966-67 through 1968-69
Northern Illinois Jim Bradley 23.1 16.8 1971-72 and 1972-73
Oregon State Mel Counts 22.2 15.4 1961-62 through 1963-64
Penn Ernie Beck 22.3 19.0 1950-51 through 1952-53
Penn State Jesse Arnelle 21.0 12.1 1951-52 through 1954-55
St. Bonaventure Bob Lanier 27.5 15.7 1967-68 through 1969-70
San Francisco Bill Russell 20.7 20.3 1953-54 through 1955-56
Santa Clara Dennis Awtrey 19.9 13.5 1967-68 through 1969-70
South Alabama Terry Catledge 21.7 10.8 1982-83 through 1984-85
Tennessee Tech Jimmy Hagan 21.1 15.2 1957-58 through 1959-60
Texas A&M John Beasley 21.8 10.7 1963-64 through 1965-66
Texas-El Paso Jim Barnes 24.2 17.8 1962-63 and 1963-64
Utah Billy McGill 26.9 12.8 1959-60 through 1961-62
Vanderbilt Clyde Lee 21.4 15.5 1963-64 through 1965-66
Western Kentucky Jim McDaniels 27.6 13.8 1968-69 through 1970-71
William & Mary Jeff Cohen 19.4 16.3 1957-58 through 1960-61

NOTE: Fogle, Hagan and Walk are among the 10 first-time All-Americans who posted a scoring average at least 15 ppg higher than they did the previous season.