Lehigh University Athletics
McCollum to try out for USA Basketball World University Games
6/8/2011 6:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Rising junior guard C.J. McCollum has accepted an invitation to attend the 2011 USA Basketball Men's World University Games Team training camp from July 29 through Aug. 7 in Colorado Springs, Colo. McCollum is among 22 of the nation's top players who have accepted invitations, including five who have prior USA Basketball experience. The 12-member team will be selected from the tryout pool and will represent the United States at the World University Games from Aug. 13-23 in Shenzhen, China.
“I'm really pleased that C.J. could command national recognition from USA Basketball with his invitation to try out for the World University Games,” said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. “This is a tremendous compliment to C.J.'s talent and an indication of his tireless work ethic as he looks to represent the United States and Lehigh University with a great deal of pride.”
McCollum joins college standouts from around the nation and is one of only five student-athletes from non-BCS conferences invited to try out. In total, nine NCAA conferences are represented on the training roster, including six players from the Big East, four from the Big Ten, four from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), three from the Big 12 and one each from the Atlantic 10, Big West, Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), Ivy League and Patriot League.
“C.J.'s invitation to the World University Games training camp is an indication of the talent that our Lehigh supporters, and the Lehigh Valley, have the opportunity to watch,” said Reed. “He's an exciting player, who through this invitation, is being identified as an elite level player within the United States.”
The other 21 players who accepted invitations are: Tim Abromaitis (Notre Dame), Bradford Burgess (VCU), Marcus Denmon (Missouri), Kim English (Missouri), Yancy Gates (Cincinnati), Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh), Draymond Green (Michigan State), JaMychal Green (Alabama), Tu Holloway (Xavier), Scoop Jardine (Syracuse), John Jenkins (Vanderbilt), Orlando Johnson (UC Santa Barbara), Greg Mangano (Yale), Trevor Mbakwe (Minnesota), Khris Middleton (Texas A&M), Darius Miller (Kentucky), Tony Mitchell (Alabama), Aaric Murray (West Virginia), Alex Oriakhi (Connecticut), John Shurna (Northwestern) and Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin).
McCollum has continued to rack up honors and award since stepping onto campus. The Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Year as a freshman, McCollum also garnered AP Honorable Mention All-America recognition following Lehigh's league championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. He led the nation among freshmen in scoring with 19.1 points per game, while adding 5.0 rebounds per contest.
The Canton, Ohio native continued to impress as a sophomore, jumping all the way to 21.8 points per game, good for ninth in the nation and tops among sophomores. He also finished third in the Patriot League in rebounding (7.8) while his 2.5 steals per game were good for 12th nationally. McCollum was named a First Team All-Patriot League selection for a second straight season while also garnering a spot on the Patriot League All-Tournament Team for the second time in as many years. He set a league single-season record with six Player of the Week awards, including one stretch of four in a row. McCollum garnered All-Region laurels from two organizations, both the NABC and USBWA.
McCollum eclipsed 1,000 career points against Army in January, becoming the first active sophomore in the nation to reach that milestone. With 1,308 points, he is only 916 away from the Patriot League career record. McCollum is also almost halfway to the Lehigh career scoring record (2,703) held by Daren Queenan. He also enters the 2011-12 season as the nation's leading returning scorer with everyone ahead of him either graduated or declared for the NBA Draft.
The USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee, chaired by NCAA representative and Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, is expected on July 31 to announce finalists for the 2011 USA World University Games Team. Training camp will continue July 31-Aug. 7 at the USOTC, with the official roster being announced prior to the teams' departure for China on Aug. 8.
“After a lot of thought and consideration of potential players, the committee has put together a very strong roster for the USA Men's World University Games Team training camp,” said Boeheim. “As always, the committee will be looking for not only the most talented players, but also players that will work well as a team.”
Purdue University head coach Matt Painter, who previously assisted the 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team to a gold medal, has been selected as head coach of the 2011 USA Men's World University Games Team, while collegiate head coaches Cuonzo Martin of the University of Tennessee and Brad Stevens of Butler University were named assistant coaches.
World University Games History
World University Games History
The World University Games are held every other year and are organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The World University Games is a multi-sport competition open to men and women who are between the ages of 17 and 24 (born between Jan. 1, 1987 and Dec. 31, 1993), who are or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university.
The United States, which has claimed a medal in every World University Games since beginning play in 1965, has captured a record 13 golds, three silvers and three bronze medals in the 19 WUGs in which a USA Basketball men's squad has competed. Overall, the USA owns a 131-8 won-loss record in World University Games play.
The United States captured six of the first seven gold medals awarded in World University Games competition and strung together six consecutive gold medals from 1989 through 1999. Most recently, the 2009 USA team earned the bronze medal after finishing 6-1 and suffering a one-point loss to Russia in the semifinals.
Eighteen players who have represented the USA in the World University Games have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games, including Ray Allen, Stacey Augmon, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Bill Bradley, Quinn Buckner, Tom Burleson, Ken Davis, Tim Duncan, Phil Hubbard, Allen Iverson, Mitch Kupchak, Karl Malone, Michael Redd, Mitch Richmond, Michael Silliman, Steve Smith and Jo Jo White.
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