CHC: Vandy's All-Time Team

CHC: Vandy’s All-Time Team

3/22/2006

by Bill Traughber

During the past few weeks, Commodore History Corner readers were asked to send in their choices for Vanderbilt’s all-time basketball team. This was just for fun and not anything official. These were your selections:

Center Clyde Lee (1964-66): Arguably the best center in Vanderbilt (1964-66) history. The 6-10, 205-pound big man holds all of Vanderbilt’s career rebounding records. While playing in an era that freshmen were ineligible for the varsity, Lee ranks fifth on Vanderbilt’s all-time scoring (1,691) list. The David Lipscomb High School player was a three-time All-SEC member; two-time SEC Player-of-the-Year and an All-American.

Lee was selected by the San Francisco Warriors in the 1966 NBA draft. He was the third overall pick behind Cazzie Russell and Dave Bing. Lee played for San Francisco/Golden State (1966-74), Atlanta/Philadelphia (1974-75) and the 76ers (1975-76. In Lee’s 10 seasons, he played in 742 games, averaged 7.7 points per game and 10.1 rebounds. Lee played in one all-star game.

Forward Charles Davis (1977-81): Davis ranks seventh all-time in scoring (1,675) on Vanderbilt’s career list. The 6-7, 215-pound forward was born in Nashville and played for McGavock High School. He ranks ninth in scoring average (16.0), first in career field goals made (683) and eighth in career field goal percentage (.514). Davis was also a two-time All-SEC selection. He is the only Commodore player in school history to lead a team in scoring (15.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.0 rpg) as a freshman.

Washington chose Davis in the second round (35th player) of the 1981 NBA draft. In his eight-year career Davis played for Washington (1981-84), Washington/Milwaukee (1984-86), Milwaukee/San Antonio (1987-88) and Chicago 1988-90). While with the Bulls,

Davis was a teammate of Michael Jordan.

Davis played in 415 games as a professional with four different teams. He averaged 5.3 points per game with 2.4 rebounds.

Forward Jeff Fosnes (1973-76): Fosnes is part of the famous Vanderbilt F-Troop. He ranks eighth on Vanderbilt’s all-time scoring list with1, 579 points. His 575 points in the 1974-75 season ranks ninth in Commodore single-season scoring. Fosnes averaged 15.5 points per game in his career.

Fosnes is on the leader board at Vanderbilt for Field Goals made (651), Field Goals attempted (1,271) and Field Goal Percentage (51.2). He was a member of the NCAA All-Tournament Team (1974). Fosnes was also selected as a Second Team All-SEC three seasons (1974-76) and a two-time Academic All-SEC.

Guard Tom Hagan (1967-69): Hagan led Vanderbilt in scoring for three consecutive seasons (1967-69) averaging 23.4 points in his final season, the most by a Commodore senior. He ranks ninth all-time in scoring with 1, 514 points. In Hagan’s three seasons as a Commodore, he had a career average of 19.9 points per game.

Hagan was named an All-American as a senior, only one of five Commodores to receive the honor. He was also a two-time First Team All-SEC as a junior and senior while appearing on the second team in his first year as a sophomore. His 23.4 scoring average in 1968-69 is an all-time high for Vanderbilt.

The Kentucky native also scored the most points in a game for Vanderbilt with a 44-point performance against Ole Miss in 1969. He was also one of the best career free throw shooters in Vanderbilt history connecting on 360-of-432 for a career percentage of 83.3, which ranks fifth best.

Hagan played professionally in 73 games in the ABA for Dallas (1969-70), Texas/Kentucky (1970-71) averaging 4.9 points per game and 1.5 rebounds.

Guard Billy McCaffrey (1993-94): McCaffrey transferred to Vanderbilt after two seasons at Duke University. He sat out the 1991-92 season under the transfer rules, but was allowed to practice with the team. As a Duke freshman, he played in all 38 games starting once while averaging 6.6 points per game. Duke was runner-up in the NCAA championship game.

As a Duke sophomore, McCaffrey was part of Duke’s national championship team playing in all 38 games (21 started). His was a member of the All-Final Four after canning 16 points off the bench to help beat Kansas in the title game.

While playing just two seasons for Vanderbilt, McCaffrey is ranked 15th on the Commodore all-time scoring with 1,359 points. He scored a season-high record 699 points (20.5 avg.) in his first season as a Commodore. McCaffrey scored 660 points (20.6 avg.) as a senior.

McCaffrey is ranked eighth on the Vanderbilt all-time 3-point leader board with 141 in 316 attempts (.446). He also ranks as the best in free throw shooting for a career with 302 made in 343 attempts (88.0.) McCaffrey was First Team All-SEC and an All-American in both years at Vanderbilt while receiving the SEC Player-of-the-Year award in 1993.

Coach Roy Skinner (1959, 1962-76): Skinner is Vanderbilt’s all-time winningest basketball coach. In his 16 seasons, Skinner complied a career record of 278-135 (63.3). His Memorial Gymnasium record is an amazing, 181-81 (81.5). Skinner won four (1965, 67, 74 76) SEC Coach-of-the-Year awards and two SEC championships in 1964 and 1974.

Second team selections were Will Perdue (center), Matt Freije (forward), Jeff Turner (forward), Phil Cox (guard) and Terry Compton (guard). C. M. Newton was the second team coach.

My selections would be Clyde Lee (center), Matt Freije (forward), Jeff Turner (forward), Billy McCaffrey (guard) and Tom Hagan (guard). Roy Skinner would be my team coach.

My second team would be Will Perdue (center), Dan Langhi (forward), Charles Davis (forward), Phil Cox (guard) and Barry Goheen (guard). Eddie Fogler would be my second team coach.