Mt. Rushmore: Troy Bell

by Brian @ BCI on Feb 5, 2009 11:15 AM EST Comment 0 comments

We continue our profile of Boston College sports greats to arrive at our BC athletics make-believe Mt. Rushmore...

Name: Troy Bell
Born: November 1980 in Minneapolis, MN
Sport: Men's Basketball
BC Era: 1999-2003

Current Standings: Currently in 5th place with 30% of the vote. Trailing Doug Flutie (95%), Jerry York (81%), Matt Ryan (60%), and William Flynn (35%).

Why He's In

As a freshman, averaged 18.8 points (rookie scoring record and team leader that season), 3.1 boards and 2.1 assists per game and awarded the 1999-2000 Big East Rookie of the Year award for his efforts
During the 2001-2002 season, led the Eagles to a 27-5 mark (a school record for wins), a Big East tournament title and a No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament
Named 2001 Big East Tournament Most Valuable Player (David Gavitt Trophy)
After his sophomore season, was named Big East Co-Player of the Year with Notre Dame's Troy Murphy
2000-2001 and 2002-2003 consensus All-American second team selection
Named the 2002-2003 Big East Player of the Year, making him only the fifth player to win the award multiple times (Troy Murphy, Richard RIP Hamilton, Patrick Ewing and Chris Mullin) ... also won the award over Syracuse freshman phenom Carmelo Anthony
2003 Boston College Eagle (Athlete) of the Year and team MVP for all four years
For his career, averaged 21.6 points, 4.0 boards and 3.5 assists per game
Left campus as Boston College's all-time scoring leader with 2,632 points (good for 21st all-time at the time), breaking the previous mark set by Dana Barros
Other Eagle records: career field goals attempted (1794), career three-point field goals (300), free throws made (810), free throw percentage (86.8%), single season scoring (781), single season free throws made (227), single season free throw percentage (89.4%)
As an unheralded recruit out of Minnesota (was a finalist for Mr. Minnesota basketball in HS), possibly set the mold for the Al Skinner "diamond in the rough" recruiting philosophy. Jared Dudley, Sean Williams, Sean Marshall and Craig Smith would follow ...

Maybe Not?

This doesn't just apply to Troy Bell specifically, but to hoops in general: I'm torn on having a basketball star on a Mt. Rushmore. Our Mt. Rushmore of BC athletics is meant to be a testament to the four individuals who built the school's athletics programs. Of the three major sports programs, in my opinion basketball comes in a distant third to football and hockey in terms of the history of the school. Basketball has the least storied history. The program has never been to the Final Four (oh so close in 2006?). There were significant periods of time where basketball wasn't very relevant on the Heights: the school didn't field a team from 1907-1910, 1911-1916, and 1925-1945, the program was marred in scandal (1978-1979) or the program just plain stunk. In addition, there are already a bunch of school legends in hockey, football and the athletics department, so I'm not sure if there's room for a hoops star on the mountain.
While the hoops team dramatically improved over Troy Bell's four years in Chestnut Hill, the program seemed to peak in only his sophomore year. In 2001-2001 the Eagles went 20-12 (and lost in the first round of the NCAAs as an #11 seed) and his senior year the Eagles went 19-12 (receiving an NIT berth)
Never made it past the opening weekend of the NCAA tournament
The school has another Big East Player of the Year in John Bagley (1980-1981)

X-Factor

Until Rice went off for 46 against North Carolina last year, Bell's performance against Iowa State back on December 11, 2001 was one of the best single game performances we've ever seen from a BC hoops player. Bell finished the game with 42 points, 5 of 8 from behind the arc, and 17 for 17 from the charity stripe
Guy was money from the free throw line
If we don't put him on the mountain, will he knock us out?

YouTubage

This was certainly a team effort, but witness the exact moment of Boston College basketball resurgence under Al Skinner ...

BC Interruption: An SB Nation Community

Network Bar

BC Interruption -

An unofficial Boston College Eagles blog