2013-14 UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE
Retired Jerseys nO. 12 - OSCAR ROBERTSON (1958-1960)
Oscar Robertson
Cincinnati fans concluded with confidence that there would never be another No. 12 when Oscar Robertson concluded his stellar career. Consequently, his jersey was retired at the completion of his senior season, the first retired number in UC history. During his three-year career (1957-58—1959-60), Robertson established himself not only as the finest player in Cincinnati history, but one of the finest in all of college basketball. He concluded his career as college basketball’s all-time scoring leader, amassing 2,973 points in 88 games. He bettered the previous mark by over 300 points. Only one other player since has scored more points in a three-year career—LSU’s Pete Maravich—while Robertson’s 33.8-point career scoring average, a record at that time, remains third-best in NCAA history. Though scoring was the most publicized portion of his game, it was far from the only aspect in which he excelled. Robertson also owns UC’s season and career rebounding records and has the second-most assists, a record he would have also had if assists had been kept as a statistic during his sophomore year. No brief sketch can begin to include all of Robertson’s honors and accomplishments. He was a three-year consensus allAmerican and three-time pick for National Player of the Year honors. Robertson was well-honored for his performance during his 14-year career in the NBA, making the all-star team 12 times and amassing career records for assists. He was honored as one of the top performers in the history of the league and has been elected to the National Basketball Hall of Fame. nO. 27 - jack twyman (1952-1955) For three straight years, Jack Twyman was cut from his high school basketball team. His persistence not only landed him a spot on the varsity as a senior, but launched a career which would take him to college and professional stardom, and a place in the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Twyman demonstrated that determination as a freshman at Cincinnati in 1951-52, earning a berth on the varsity in midseason. He led the Bearcats in scoring and rebounding his sophomore, junior, and senior years, averaging 24.6 points and 16.5 rebounds in his final season to earn all-America honors. Twyman concluded his career as UC’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. Six decades later, his point total ranks ninth and his rebounds second. Twyman was a first-round draft pick of the Rochester Royals in 1955 which two years later moved to Cincinnati. He was selected an NBA all-star in six of his 11 seasons, and led the league in scoring with a 31.2-point average in 1959-60. Twyman is forever linked to Maurice Stokes, his Royals teammate who was stricken by a stroke in the last game of the 1958 season. Twyman became Stokes’ legal guardian and helped raise money to defray medical expenses. This relationship was the subject of the 1973 movie, “Maurie.” Twyman was elected to the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. He died in May 2012.
Jack Twyman
nO. 4 - kenyon martin (1997-2000) Few players made the progress that Kenyon Martin experienced during his career at Cincinnati, in which he ascended from a raw-talented athlete to a devastating defender and polished scorer. Martin joined the Bearcats in early January of his freshman year but took only 12 games to take over the shot-blocking lead. As a sophomore, he became the first Bearcat in 31 years to record a triple-double. He capped that year with second-team all-league honors and his first of three straight Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year awards. Martin’s junior season featured honorable mention all-America recognition. Midway through that season, he broke the UC career record for blocked shots, giving him a clean sweep of the school’s marks for rejections. At the conclusion of his junior year, Martin eschewed the NBA draft and set about perfecting his offensive skills in the quest of becoming a complete player. He gave notice of what was in store when he directed the U.S. to the gold medal at the World University Games that summer, leading the star-studded squad in scoring and rebounding. With a potent offensive game to go with his defensive prowess, Martin returned for his senior campaign. A unanimous CUSA Player of the Year selection, he was a consensus all-American and everyone’s choice for National Player of the Year honors. He was the No. 1 choice in the 2000 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets and is now with the New York Knicks. Kenyon Martin
CINCINNATI
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