University of Memphis Athletics
100 years of Memphis Basketball, Men's All-Centennial Team Selected
Feb 27, 2020 | Men's Basketball
The University of Memphis athletics department has celebrated the centennial of Memphis basketball for both the men's and women's teams throughout the 2019-20 season.
Beginning in late January, fans voted for an entire month on their top 10 All-Centennial teams for both men's and women's basketball.
The Memphis men's basketball All-Centennial team is as follows:
Forest Arnold
1952-56
Arnold, a native of Puxico, Missouri, came to then Memphis State College in the fall of 1952 to play for head coach Eugene Lambert. The big forward took the program on his shoulders and often is credited as being the player that first put Tiger basketball under a national spotlight.
As a freshman, Arnold scored 394 points in 24 games and averaged 16.4 points per contest. During his second season of competition, he scored a team-leading 483 points and grabbed 260 rebounds in helping his team to a 15-9 mark. He was named to Converse's All-America team for the first time in 1954.
As a junior, Arnold totaled 426 points and 238 rebounds and the Tigers finished the season with a 17-5 record and defeated nationally ranked Mississippi State, 94-68. Memphis received an invitation to the NCAA Tournament and Arnold was named to the Converse and United Press International All-America teams.
In his final campaign for the Tigers, Arnold had 551 points and 351 rebounds and the team finished the year with a 20-7 record. The Tigers played in the NCAA Tournament in Wichita, Kansas. He was again named to the Converse and UPI All-America teams.
Arnold finished his career as Memphis' all-time leading scorer with 1,854 points and remains the No. 5 scorer in school history today despite having played in the mid-1950s when offenses were not as prolific. He averaged 19.5 points in his four seasons, including a career-high 21.2 average as a senior. Arnold was instrumental in the rise to prominence for Tigers basketball as the team went to NCAA tournaments in 1955 and 1956.
His jersey No. 13 was retired on Jan. 14, 1995.
Rodney Carney
2002-06
Only Keith Lee and Elliot Perry scored more points in a Tigers career then Rodney Carney. Carney finished with 1,901 points and averaged 17.2 points as a senior, a final season that earned him Conference USA Player of the Year honors.
Carney earned second-team All-America honors in 2006 following his senior season and is one of only four players in school history to be named a first-team or second-team Associated Press All-American.
As a freshman in 2002-03, he was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team and helped the Tigers reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996.
As a sophomore, he averaged 13 points per game and was a factor in the team reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
As a junior, he became one of only 40 players (now 52) in Memphis history to score more than 1,000 points in a career. Carney averaged 18.4 points as a junior.
As a senior, Carney was a major contributor for a team that reached the NCAA Oakland Regional, falling in the Elite Eight to UCLA. He remains the career record-holder in 3-pointers made (287), including the single-season mark (102) set during the 2005-06 season.
He was selected in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls and shortly traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He played seven seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia, Minnesota, Toronto, Golden State and Memphis. His best NBA season came with Minnesota in 2008-09 when he averaged 7.2 points in 67 games.
Chris Douglas-Roberts
2005-08
Among the more popular athletes to play for the Tigers, Douglas-Roberts was a member of the 2008 team that reached the NCAA title game. He averaged 18.1 points during the 2007-08 season and was named a first-team All-American. He ended his career with 1,545 points, good for 11th on the career scoring list. Douglas-Roberts averaged 23.3 points during the six games the Tigers played in the 2008 NCAA Tournament.
Douglas-Roberts came to the UofM during the 2005-06 season and was a key contributor for a Tigers' team that reached the NCAA Elite Eight before bowing out to Ohio State in the Oakland Regional.
The following season, he averaged 15.4 points as the Tigers again reached the Elite Eight, this time falling to UCLA in the San Antonio Regional. The 2007-08 season, he was largely responsible for the Tigers making a run to the NCAA title game for the first time since 1973.
He was selected in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets and spent nine seasons playing professional basketball, including NBA stints with the Nets, Bucks, Mavericks, Bobcats and Clippers. He finished his NBA career with the Clippers in 2015.
Larry Finch
1970-73
One of the greatest players in the history of the program, Finch signed with the Tigers in the late 1960s, an event that re-established then-Memphis State as a national power. Finch averaged 18.8 points in his three seasons – including 24 as a senior – and helped the Tigers to their first NCAA Tournament finals appearance in 1973 against UCLA.
A graduate of Melrose High School, Finch played for the Tiger freshman team in 1969-70 and made his first varsity appearance in the fall of 1970. He played in all 26 games for the Tigers and scored 479 points. Behind his 18.4 points per game scoring average, he led the team to a 18-8 record.
As a junior, Finch increased his scoring average to 23.9 points per game, which was a school record for a single season. The sharp-shooting guard poured in 723 points as a senior for a record scoring average record of 24.0 points per game. He helped the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament in 1973 and a directed a deep tournament run that included a win over Providence in the national semifinals.
Finch finished his career with a then-school record of 1,869 points. He was drafted by the both the NBA and the ABA and opted to remain in Memphis and play professional basketball for the Memphis Tams and Pros of the ABA.
Finch entered the coaching profession with his former Memphis coach Gene Bartow at UAB and returned to Memphis as an assistant under Dana Kirk in 1978. Finch took over as head coach for Memphis in 1986 and remained as the head coach until 1997, compiling an overall record of 220-130.
He had his jersey No. 21 retired on Nov. 30, 1974.
Anfernee (Penny) Hardaway
1991-93
Arguably the most electrifying to play for the Tigers, Hardaway averaged 17.4 points his first season and 22.8 his second and earned All-American honors before embarking on a successful NBA career. His 1,319 points rank 18th in school history.
Hardaway recorded the first triple-double in school history and led the team to the Elite Eight in 1992. As a junior in 1992-93, Hardaway was the second consensus All-America first-team pick in school history. He also swept every Great Midwest Conference (GMC) award. He was the Great Midwest Conference MVP in both 1992 and 1993 and was named to the All-GMC first-team both years. Hardaway received the GMC Newcomer of the Year award in 1992 and was named to the 1992 and 1993 GMC All-Tournament teams.
Hardaway led the Tigers in scoring, assists and steals both seasons and led the squad in rebounding in 1992-93.
Hardaway helped guide the Tigers to a 43-23 record and to two NCAA Tournament appearances, including a magical trip to the 1992 Elite Eight.
Following the 1992-93 campaign, Hardaway declared and was the third overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Draft. He was traded to the Orlando Magic, that night. Hardaway was named to the NBA All-Star team four times and to the All-NBA first-team twice. In addition to being a 1996 Olympic gold medalist, he helped lead the Magic to the 1995 NBA Finals. Hardaway also had playing stints with the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Miami Heat.
In the 1993-94 season, Hardaway was invited back home to the Bluff City where, on Jan. 23, 1994, his No. 25 became the seventh basketball jersey retired by the Tigers.
He earned his bachelor's degree in Individual Studies in 2003 and became the school's head basketball coach in March 2018.
Keith Lee
1981-85
Along with Larry Finch and Penny Hardaway, Lee ranks among the best multi-year players to ever wear a Tigers uniform. In his four seasons, the Tigers went 104-24 and reached the 1985 Final Four. He was an Associated Press All-American for four consecutive seasons.
A 6-foot-11 center, Lee scored 2,408 points, the most by any Tiger in history. A highly-recruited player from West Memphis High, Lee came to the program beginning with the 1981-82 season and made an immediate impact. Powered by Lee, the Tigers made four consecutive NCAA appearances, including their second trip to the Final Four.
Lee guided the program to three Metro Conference titles and to a then-school-record 31 wins during the 1984-85 season. He also helped the Tigers find permanent residence in the final Associated Press Top 20 poll all four seasons. The four-time Associated Press All-American was Metro Conference Player of the Year in 1982 and 1985 and was named to 29 All-America teams.
In addition to being the program's career scoring leader, he also is the school's career rebounding leader with 1,336. Lee was selected No. 11 overall in the 1985 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls and also played for the Cavaliers and Nets. He had his No. 24 jersey retired on Mar. 2, 1985.
Elliot Perry
1987-91
Elliot Perry, who is the UofM's second all-time leading scorer, was one of the finest guards to ever play for Memphis. The native Memphian led the Tigers to four-straight postseason tournaments and 76 wins over his career. Perry, who started every game of his four-year career, paced the team in scoring, assists and steals three consecutive seasons.
With 2,209 career points, Perry is one of only two Tigers in school history to surpass 2,000 points. The former McDonald All-American, who averaged 34.5 points as a senior at Treadwell High, led the Tigers to a 20-12 record and an NCAA bid as a freshman. He was named the Metro Conference Freshman of the Year and Sport Magazine's freshman point guard of the year.
Perry led the Metro Conference in scoring as a senior with a 20.8 average and in steals with 85 and was again named to the All-Conference team. He became Memphis' and the Metro Conference's career leader in steals with 300 and became just the tenth player in NCAA history to amass 300 steals. His jersey No. 34 was retired on Feb. 8, 1992. Following graduation, Perry spent nine years in the NBA.
Ronnie Robinson
1970-73
One of the top rebounders in the history of the program, Robinson joined Melrose High teammate and lifelong friend Larry Finch at Memphis and was instrumental in the successful resurgence of the program. He averaged double figures in each of his three seasons and is one of only four players at the school to total 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Robinson was a member of the 1972-73 team that advanced to the finals of the NCAA Tournament before losing to UCLA. Robinson and Finch rewrote the Tigers basketball record book and led the team to some of its finest moments.
Robinson, a three-year starter, worked as a center and a forward. He averaged double figures in both scoring and rebounding throughout his career. Robinson scored a career-high 30 points against Tulsa as a sophomore, and coincidentally, set the school rebounding record (28) in the same game.
Robinson was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection and was named to the Vanderbilt Classic and Sun Bowl All-Tournament teams. He received All-America honors (Converse and Basketball News) as a senior. Robinson still holds school records for the highest field goal percentage in a career (57.7%) and, most rebounds in a single game (28).
Robinson was selected in the fourth round of the 1973 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns. He had his jersey No. 33 retired on Nov. 30, 1974.
Andre Turner
1982-86
Known in Memphis basketball circles as the "Little General," Andre Turner was one of the greatest point guards to play for the Tigers. The Mitchell High graduate came to the UofM in 1982 under head coach Dana Kirk and led the Tigers back into basketball's national spotlight. He scored 1,442 points in four seasons and is ranked 14th in career scoring.
Blessed with an elite ability to see the floor, Turner set the Memphis record for assists in a single game with 15 against South Carolina in 1986, assists in a season with 262 during the 1985-86 campaign and assists in a career with 763.
During his four-year career, the Tigers appeared in the NCAA Tournament four times and Turner was named to the All-Metro Conference Freshman Team, twice selected to the All-Metro Conference Team, the NCAA All-Midwest Regional Team, Al McGuire's All-Freshman Team, Basketball Weekly's All-South Team, the USBWA All-District 3 Team and the 1986 Associated Press and UPI All-American Teams.
Turner was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1986 NBA Draft and played six years in the league before going to Europe, where he played for more than a dozen seasons.
Win Wilfong
1955-57
Wilfong, who finished Memphis No. 2 on the Memphis all-time scoring list with 1,203 points currently 29th, played basketball for the Tigers from 1955-57 and led his teams to a combined 44-13 record. The Puxico, Missouri, native played for former head coaches Eugene Lambert and Bob Vanatta and was considered one of the top players in school history.
A versatile player, Wilfong could do everything from score to rebound, from pass the ball to defend. He still remains ranked in multiple top 10 statistical categories. He averaged 21.5 points and 12.3 rebounds during his two-year career.
In the 1955-56 season against Union University, Wilfong poured in 40 points. Eleven times during his career, he scored more than 30 points in a game.
During the 1956-57 season, Wilfong led the Tigers to their first-ever bid to the National Invitation Tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York when it was considered more prestigious than the NCAA Tournament. In the 1957 NIT, the Tigers opened with a 77-75 win over Utah in the UofM's first nationally-televised game. After wins over Manhattan and St. Bonaventure, the Tigers found themselves in the championship game against Bradley. Wilfong scored 31 points and was named the MVP of the NIT despite Memphis losing to Bradley, 84-83.
Wilfong became the school's first basketball All-American in 1957 when he was named to the Converse, United Press International and Associated All-American squads.
He had his jersey No. 22 retired on April 10, 1957.
