Dave Downey

David John Downey (born October 28, 1941) is a former collegiate basketball player for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team. He is best known for setting the Illinois single-game scoring record with 53 points at Indiana on February 16, 1963.

Dave Downey
Downey circa 1963
Personal information
Born (1941-10-28) October 28, 1941
Canton, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High schoolCanton (Canton, Illinois)
CollegeIllinois (1960–1963)
NBA draft1963 / Round: 4 / Pick: 30th overall
Selected by the San Francisco Warriors
PositionForward
Career highlights and awards
  • Big Ten Medal of Honor (1963)

Downey's 18.9 career scoring average ranks fourth in school history while his 11.0 career rebounding average ranks third, with his 790 career rebounds ranking seventh on the career list. Downey earned the 1963 Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor for excellence in both academics and athletics. He was drafted into the NBA in 1963 by the San Francisco Warriors; however, he never played a game in the league.

Downey was elected to the "Illini Men's Basketball All-Century Team" in 2004.

Downey was the leading scorer for his hometown high school, Canton High School. His record was then broken by Kevin Rhodes. When asked about this accomplishment, Downey simply said, "It was only a matter of time until Kevin Rhodes broke my record."

Honors

Basketball
  • 1961 - Team MVP[1]
  • 1962 - Team MVP
  • 1962 - 2nd Team All-Big Ten
  • 1963 - Team MVP
  • 1963 - 1st Team All-Big Ten
  • 1963 - NCAA All-Regional Team
  • 1973 - Inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association's Hall of Fame as a player.[2][3]
  • 2008 - Honored as one of the thirty-three honored jerseys which hang in the State Farm Center to show regard for being the most decorated basketball players in the University of Illinois' history.
  • 2018 - Inducted into the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame[4]

Statistics
Season Games Points PPG Field Goals Attempts Avg Free Throws Attempts Avg Rebounds Avg Big Ten
Record		 Overall
Record
1960–61
24
402
16.8
157
404
.389
88
123
.715
267
11.1
5–9
9–15
1961–62
22
445
20.2
174
385
.452
97
130
.746
269
12.2
7–7
15–8
1962–63
26
513
19.7
201
459
.438
111
156
.712
254
9.8
11–3
20–6
Totals
72
1360
18.9
532
1248
.426
296
409
.724
790
11.0
23–19
44–29

[5]

References
  1. FightingIllini.com
  2. IBCA Hall of Fame
  3. BasketballMuseumOfIllinois.com
  4. Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame
  5. Sports-Reference.com
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