University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Selects 25-Man All-Century Basketball Team; Top Vote-getter Ray Allen Named Honorary Captain
1/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
 |
| Former Huskie star Ray Allen, now playing for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, was the leading vote-getter in Connecticut's All-Century basketball balloting. Allen was named honorary captain of the team. (AP Photo) |
Allen, a three-year star at Connecticut from 1993-96 who is currently in his fifth season in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, was the top vote-getter in fan voting among 78 former UConn basketball standouts listed on the Connecticut Basketball All-Century Team ballot.
In his three college years at Connecticut, the 6-5 Allen led UConn to an overall record of 87-12, three consecutive BIG EAST Conference regular season titles and a league record-setting mark of 49-5, and three straight trips to the NCAA Championship Tournament (two Sweet 16, one Final 8). Ray Allen completed his UConn career with 1,922 points (19.0/game) and ranks No. 4 in career scoring. The No. 5 pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, Ray Allen has enjoyed an outstanding professional career. In five years with the Bucks, he has averaged 18.5 points per game, scoring more than 6,200 points and becoming an NBA All-Star. In 41 games this season, he is averaging 21.0/game and is No. 2 in the NBA in three-point field goals and No. 4 in free throw percentage. Prior to the start of the 2000-2001 NBA season, Allen earned an Olympic Gold Medal as a member of the victorious United States Men's Basketball Team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia.
Following voting (via hard ballots and on-line) by UConn fans, which was conducted in November and December, the original plan to announce a 20-member squad was expanded to include a 25-member All-Century Team.
"The final fan voting was very close through the first 23 players," said UConn Director of Athletics Lew Perkins. "Following the completion of voting by our fans, it was obvious to each member of our All- Century Team committee that it would not be appropriate to eliminate any of the top 23 vote-getters. In addition to affirming the fan voting results of the top 23 players, our All-Century Committee recommended to me, and I accepted their recommendation, that we add two other outstanding players to our All-Century Team. The naming of our All- Century Team is a celebration of the wonderful history of UConn Basketball and we are thrilled that we will be honoring a total of 25 stars who have helped make Connecticut Basketball a unique and special part of the fabric of an entire state."
A total of 7,243 ballots were completed (hard ballots and on-line voting) and more than 80,000 votes were cast. All 78 athletes listed on the All-Century Team ballot received vote support and a total of 35 other UConn stars received write-in vote support.
The Connecticut Men's Basketball All-Century Team will be introduced in three separate announcements during the next three weeks.
On Thursday, February 1, the centers selected to the UConn All- Century Team will be announced. That will be a 6 p.m. announcement-- -for Friday AM & PM publications.
On Thursday, February 8, the forwards selected to the UConn All- Century Team will be announced. That will be a 6 a.m. announcement-- -for Thursday PM and Friday AM publications.
On Thursday, February 15, the guards selected to the UConn All- Century Team will be announced. That will be a 6 p.m. announcement-- -for Friday AM & PM publications.
A Connecticut Basketball All-Century Team Celebration Awards Dinner will be held during the summer at a date and place to be announced in the near future.
The UConn men's basketball program is celebrating a century of varsity competition during the current 2000-2001 college basketball season. The first varsity year at Connecticut for the men's basketball program was the 1901-1902 season.
