smALL-STARS: Big Things at NCAA Division I Level Come in Small Packages
November 18th, 2017 - 9:19
"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind (about your size) don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss
The good doctor (Seuss) must know big things can come in even smaller packages. What scoring sensations Demontrae Jefferson (5-7) of Texas Southern and Junior Robinson (5-5) of Mount St. Mary's may lack in height, they more than compensate for with heart. Brimming with self-confidence and mental toughness in non-league competition against power-league opponents, the premium point guards defy odds by excelling in a big man's game.
The next mighty mite of consequence in a power conference might be Chris Lykes (5-6) at Miami (Fla.). Averaging 20 ppg in the early going, Jefferson and Robinson appear as if they will eventually join the following alphabetical list examining the top players in NCAA history shorter than 5-8:
| Mighty Mite | School | Height | Short Summary of College Career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vin Albanese | Syracuse | 5-7 | Averaged 4.6 ppg for the Orangemen in 1955-56 and 1956-57. |
| Ken Alessi | West Virginia | 5-7 | The Mountaineers' second-leading scorer in 1950-51 (10.1 ppg) behind All-American Mark Workman. |
| Christopher Anderson | San Diego | 5-7 | Averaged 9.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.9 apg and 2 spg for the Toreros from 2011-12 through 2014-15. Ranked among the nation's top 11 in assists average his final two seasons. |
| Kendall Anthony | Richmond | 5-7 | Shot 80.6% from the free-throw line and 39.2% from beyond the three-point arc en route to averaging 14.2 ppg from 2011-12 through 2014-15. The Spiders' leading as a senior with 16.4 ppg after finishing runner-up as a freshman and junior. |
| Martin Badoian | Brown | 5-7 | Three-year letterman was captain as a senior in 1951-52 when he averaged 13.9 ppg. |
| Mike Belich | Pittsburgh | 5-7 | Led the Panthers in scoring as a senior in 1950-51 with 15.9 ppg. |
| Eric Bell | Stephen F. Austin | 5-6 | Ranked 30th in the nation in assists with 5.7 per game as a sophomore in 2007-08. |
| Arnold Bernard | Southwest Missouri State | 5-5 | J.C. transfer was an All-Mid-Continent Conference second-team selection in 1989-90. The next season, earned the same status in the Missouri Valley when he led the league in assists (7.6 apg) and steals (2.4 spg). |
| Tyrone Bogues | Wake Forest | 5-3 | All-ACC first-team selection as a senior averaged 8.3 ppg, 6.6 apg and 2.3 spg from 1983-84 through 1986-87. |
| Jermaine Bolden | Morgan State | 5-7 | Led MEAC in assists with 4.9 per game in 2008-09. |
| Jimmy Boothe | Xavier | 5-7 | Led the Musketeers' 1956 NIT team in scoring with 16.5 ppg. |
| Earl Boykins | Eastern Michigan | 5-6 | Two-time All-MAC first-team selection finished second in the nation in scoring in 1997-98 with 25.7 ppg, including 45 points vs. Western Michigan (tying school single-game record against a Division I opponent). MVP in the league's postseason tournament as a senior. |
| DeAndre Bray | Jacksonville State | 5-6 | Posted an OVC-leading 5.2 apg as a sophomore in 2006-07 and ranked 11th in the nation as a junior (6.4 apg). Assists average fell off to 4.9 per game as a senior. |
| Greg Brown | New Mexico | 5-7 | WAC Player of the Year as a senior in 1993-94 when he averaged 19.3 ppg and 4.4 apg. |
| Alex Bynum | Brown | 5-7 | Averaged 8.3 ppg with the Bears from 1980-81 through 1983-84. |
| Alton Byrd | Columbia | 5-7 | Three-time All-Ivy League first-team selection averaged 8.1 apg as a sophomore in 1976-77 en route to becoming the Lions' all-time leader in assists. Led the conference in assists as a sophomore and senior. |
| Joe Campbell | Purdue | 5-7 | Eventual PGA golfer averaged 7.7 ppg in three seasons of varsity basketball. He was the Boilermakers' third-leading scorer (11.9 ppg) and leading free-throw shooter (73.6%) as a senior in 1956-57. |
| Pete Carril | Lafayette | 5-6 | The 1952 graduate averaged 11.5 ppg in his career with the Leopards before becoming Princeton's all-time winningest coach. |
| Taurence Chisholm | Delaware | 5-6 | Blue Hens all-time leader in assists with 877 ranked among the top 12 in the nation all four years, including a runner-up finish as a sophomore. All-ECC second-team selection as a senior in 1987-88. |
| Jackie Crawford | Southwest Missouri State | 5-7 | J.C. transfer was an All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team selection and MVC Tournament MVP in 1991-92 (12 ppg, 4.5 apg, 83.5 FT%). |
| Jordon Crawford | Bowling Green | 5-6 | Shortest player among NCAA's top 150 scorers as a senior in 2012-13 when he averaged 15 ppg. Led Falcons in assists his last three seasons. |
| Johnny Dee | Notre Dame | 5-7 | Second-leading scorer (12.6 ppg) for the 15-5 Irish in 1944-45 before UND went 17-4 the next year when he averaged 5.8 ppg. |
| Jeremiah Dominguez | Portland State | 5-6 | Big Sky Conference MVP in 2007-08 and league tournament MVP the next season. Leading scorer for PSU's all-time two winningest DI teams those years. |
| Gene Duffy | Notre Dame | 5-7 | Averaged 6.6 ppg for the Irish's 1958 Mideast Regional runner-up. Contributed 6.8 ppg as team captain the next season. |
| Andy Dulik | Navy | 5-7 | Averaged 10.3 ppg from 1954-55 through 1956-57, finishing among the Midshipmen's top three scorers as a sophomore and junior. |
| Haywood Eaddy | Loyola Marymount | 5-5 | J.C. transfer led the WCC in steals (2.1 spg) in 1997-98 and in free-throw shooting (89.8%) and assists (5.6 apg) in 1998-99. |
| Don Ferguson | Iowa State | 5-7 | Averaged 5.1 ppg in 1948-49 and 8.9 ppg in 1949-50 with the Cyclones. |
| Chico Fletcher | Arkansas State | 5-6 | Two-time Sun Belt Conference MVP led league in assists four consecutive seasons from 1996-97 through 1999-2000. |
| Robert Flynn | Dayton | 5-7 | Member of 1951 NIT runner-up averaged a career-high 7.8 ppg as a sophomore in 1948-49. |
| Louis Ford | Howard | 5-6 | Contributed 14 assists and 10 steals in a game against Maryland-Eastern Shore when he averaged a team-high 14.1 ppg in an abbreviated junior campaign in 2004-05 before averaging 9.2 ppg and team-high 4.8 apg as a senior. Led the MEAC in assists as a sophomore (5 apg) and in steals as a senior (2.6 spg). |
| Tony Freeman | Indiana/Illinois-Chicago | 5-7 | Honorable mention All-Mid-Continent Conference in 1988-89 after playing for the Hoosiers in 1986-87. |
| Maurice "Kojak" Fuller | Southern (La.) | 5-7 | Averaged 10.5 ppg and 3.7 apg as a sophomore in 1995-96 with the Jaquars. |
| Petie Gibson | New Mexico | 5-7 | The Lobos' all-time leader in assists per game averaged 11.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg and 7.2 apg from 1968-69 through 1970-71. He led the WAC in scoring feeds all three seasons. |
| Jack Goldsmith | Long Island | 5-7 | Led the Blackbirds in scoring in 1945-46 when they posted their 13th of 18 consecutive winning records through 1950-51. |
| Tyquawn Goode | Fairfield | 5-5 | Averaged 5.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.7 apg and 1.5 spg from 2001-02 through 2004-05. MAAC Defensive Player of the Year as a junior led the Stags in assists all four seasons. |
| Marques Green | St. Bonaventure | 5-7 | Averaged 15.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.9 apg and 2.9 spg while shooting 83.5% from the free-throw line from 2000-01 through 2003-04. He finished seventh in school all-time scoring when his career ended while ranking first in assists and steals. All-Atlantic 10 Conference first-team selection as a junior when he led league in scoring (21.3 ppg), assists (8 apg), steals (2.6 spg) and free-throw shooting (87.9%) before earning second-team acclaim as a senior. He paced the A10 in steals his last three seasons. |
| George Harrington | Harvard | 5-7 | All-Ivy League second-team selection as a senior in 1958-59 when he averaged a team-high 14.6 ppg after averaging 11.4 ppg the previous two seasons. |
| Jason Harrison | Mississippi | 5-5 | Started every game as a senior for the Rebels' 2002 NCAA playoff team after serving as their "sixth-man" most of his first three seasons. Finished his career third on Ole Miss' all-time list for three-pointers (163), third in assists (427), third in steals (172) and fifth in free-throw shooting (82%). |
| Dick Hickox | Miami (Fla.) | 5-6 | Averaged 19.4 ppg from 1958-59 through 1960-61, leading the Hurricanes in scoring all three seasons. |
| Jermaine "Squirt" Hicks | Weber State/Chicago State | 5-6 | Co-Newcomer of the Year in Mid-Continent Conference in 1997-98. Scored 40 points at Fresno State the next season when he was an all-league second-team selection. |
| David Holston | Chicago State | 5-7 | Scored school DI record 43 points against St. Bonaventure in 2006-07 season opener. Mid-Continent Conference second-team selection as a freshman in 2005-06 (13.4 ppg, 2.8 apg, 85.7 FT%). Ranked 10th in the nation in scoring as a junior in 2007-08 (23.1 ppg) when pacing country in three-point field goals per game (4.6). Became school's all-time leading Division I scorer in 2008-09 when averaging 25.9 ppg (4th in nation). |
| Shawn Hood | Cleveland State | 5-7 | Leader in assists and steals in 1983-84 and 1984-85 for the Vikings. |
| Rod Hutchings | Northern Arizona | 5-7 | Shot 93.3% from the free-throw line as a senior in 2000-01 to finish his four-year career at 84%. Also contributed 285 assists for the Lumberjacks. |
| Keith "Mister" Jennings | East Tennessee State | 5-7 | All-American and Southern Conference Player of the Year as a senior. Two-time Southern Conference Tournament MVP averaged 15.7 ppg and 7.7 apg while shooting 86.1% from the free-throw line from 1987-88 through 1990-91. Paced the league twice in free-throw shooting, three times in steals and all four seasons in assists. |
| Aaron Johnson | UAB | 5-7 | Averaged 5.2 ppg and team-high 4.1 apg as a freshman in 2007-08. Named an All-Conference USA third-team selection as junior in 2009-10 before becoming league MVP as a senior when he led nation with 7.7 apg. |
| Omar Johnson | Texas-San Antonio | 5-7 | Averaged 12.6 ppg, 4.2 apg and 1.9 spg with the Roadrunners in 2008-09 and 11.3 ppg, 2.2 rpg and 3.4 apg in 2009-10. |
| Casey Jones | Northeast Louisiana | 5-7 | Led the Indians in assists as a senior in 1990-91 with 5.8 per game, finishing his career with 3.8 apg. |
| Charles Katsiaficas | New Hampshire | 5-7 | Averaged 7.8 ppg in 1947-48 and 12.1 ppg in 1948-49 with the Wildcats. |
| Darryl "Pee Wee" Lenard | Georgia/St. Louis | 5-7 | Led the Midwestern City Conference in steals with 1.8 per game in 1983-84. |
| Drew Lavender | Oklahoma/Xavier | 5-6 | Paced the Sooners' 2004 NIT team in assists and steals before finishing team runner-up in same two categories for their 2005 NCAA playoff squad. After transferring, he led Atlantic 10 Conference in assists with 4.8 per game in 2006-07. |
| Sherry Marshall | Columbia | 5-7 | All-Ivy League first-team selection as a sophomore in 1947-48 when he averaged 8.2 ppg and shot 75.9% from the free-throw line. All-conference second-team pick as a freshman, junior and senior. |
| Kellen McCoy | Weber State | 5-6 | J.C. transfer was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Year in 2008-09 (team highs of 14.1 ppg and 1.3 spg) after averaging 8.8 ppg and 2.9 rpg the previous year. |
| Shandue McNeil | St. Bonaventure | 5-7 | Averaged 9.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.4 apg and 2.5 spg from 1993-94 through 1996-97. Led Atlantic 10 Conference in assists and steals as a sophomore (all-league second-team choice) and in assists as a senior. |
| Bob Michel | New Hampshire | 5-6 | Averaged 9.1 ppg from 1953-54 through 1955-56 with the Wildcats. |
| Wendell "Cookie" Miller | Nebraska | 5-7 | Averaged 6.1 ppg plus team highs of 3.6 apg and 1.9 spg with the Huskers as a freshman in 2007-08 before posting similar figures the next season as a sophomore. |
| Mark Morse | Tulsa | 5-7 | All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team selection in 1991-92 (14.9 ppg, 5.1 apg, 2.2 spg) and 1992-93 (17.4 ppg, 4.6 apg, 2.2 spg). J.C. recruit earned award as MVC Newcomer of the Year. |
| Johnny Nunziato | Boston University | 5-5 | Led the Terriers in scoring with 15.4 ppg as a senior in 1953-54 after averaging 6.6 ppg the previous season. |
| Billy Pappas | New Hampshire | 5-6 | Two-time All-Yankee Conference first-team selection averaged 18.9 ppg from 1952-53 through 1954-55 with the Wildcats. |
| Ronell Peters | Texas-Arlington | 5-6 | UTA's all-time leader in assists led the SLC in that category in 1983-84 (7 apg). He also paced the SLC in steals in 1983-84 (2 spg) and 1985-86 (2.4 spg). |
| Otto Petty | Florida State | 5-7 | The Seminoles' all-time leader in assists with 602 averaged 6.4 ppg for FSU's 1972 NCAA Tournament runner-up. Contributed 7.6 ppg in 1970-71 and 8.2 ppg in 1972-73. |
| Bernie Pina | Rhode Island | 5-6 | Letterman from 1951-52 through 1953-54 averaged a career-high 8.5 ppg as a senior for the Rams. |
| Tajuan Porter | Oregon | 5-6 | Career averages of 14.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg and 2.1 apg while shooting 87% from the free-throw line and 38.5% from beyond the arc with the Ducks from 2006-07 through 2009-10. Averaged 31 points in his first three games as a freshman, including 38 with 10 three-pointers against Portland State. Pacific-10 Conference Tournament MVP in 2007. |
| Calvin Rayford | Kansas | 5-7 | Wisconsin native averaged 2.3 apg from 1992-93 through 1995-96. Member of KU's 1993 Final Four squad. |
| Jim "Miggs" Reilly | Georgetown | 5-7 | Starter for 1943 NCAA Tournament runner-up. |
| Shawnta Rogers | George Washington | 5-4 | Leading scorer for Atlantic 10 Conference Western Division champion in 1998-99 (20.7 ppg) when he was named the league's MVP while also topping the A10 in assists (6.8 apg) and steals (3.6 spg). Three-time all-league selection twice paced the conference in free-throw shooting. |
| Chuck Rolles | Cornell | 5-6 | Two-time All-Ivy League first-team selection averaged 23 ppg as a senior in 1955-56 after averaging 16 ppg as a junior. |
| Jim Ross | Washington State | 5-7 | Averaged 9.2 ppg and 2.8 rpg from 1956-57 through 1958-59. Led the Cougars in free-throw percentage as a junior. |
| Gene Sosnick | Pacific | 5-6 | All-California Basketball Association first-team selection as a senior in 1952-53 when he averaged 17.6 ppg for the Tigers. |
| Javan Steadham | Delaware State | 5-7 | Averaged 8.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg and 2.1 apg as a sophomore in 1995-96 after contributing 4 ppg as a freshman. Averaged 9.7 ppg and team-high 4.8 apg in 1996-97 with the Hornets. |
| Frank Sylvester | Bradley | 5-4 | Averaged 5.9 ppg from 1968-69 through 1970-71. Led the Braves in assists as a junior and senior. |
| Raymond Taylor | Florida Atlantic/Florida International | 5-6 | Averaged 11.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.8 apg and 1.4 for FAU from 2009-10 through 2011-12 before transferring to FIU, where he played briefly in 2013-14. |
| Jim Thacker | Idaho | 5-7 | Two-time All-Big Sky Conference selection averaged team-high 16.7 ppg in 1967-68 and 14.6 ppg and 5.3 rpg in 1968-69 with the Vandals. |
| Joe Tocci | Penn State | 5-7 | Averaged 7.5 ppg as Nittany Lions senior co-captain in 1949-50 after contributing 6.3 ppg the previous season. |
| Monte Towe | North Carolina State | 5-7 | All-ACC first-team selection as a junior averaged 11.1 ppg and 4.1 apg from 1972-73 through 1974-75. |
| Benny Valentine | Eastern Washington | 5-7 | All-Big Sky Conference second-team selection as a junior in 2008-09 (team highs of 15.1 ppg, 3.1 apg, 1.5 spg and 55 three-pointers). Contributed 8.2 ppg and 2.7 apg the next season. |
| Jimmy Viramontes | Texas | 5-7 | Averaged 3.5 ppg in 1950-51 and 1951-52, leading the Longhorns in assists his second season after they won SWC crown the previous year. |
| Spud Webb | North Carolina State | 5-7 | J.C. transfer averaged 10.4 ppg and 5.7 apg with the Wolfpack in 1983-84 and 1984-85. Led the ACC in assists as a junior (6 apg). |
| Leland "Pookey" Wigington | Seton Hall | 5-4 | Member of the Pirates' 1989 NCAA Tournament runner-up. |
| Willie Worsley | Texas Western | 5-6 | Averaged 8 ppg as a sophomore for the Miners' 1966 NCAA Tournament champion. Contributed 12.2 ppg in 1966-67 before sharing backcourt with Tiny Archibald and scoring 14.4 ppg in 1967-68. |
| Rudy Zannini | San Francisco | 5-7 | First guard off bench as senior for 1955 NCAA Tournament champion featuring Bill Russell and K.C. Jones. |