By Danny O'Byrne
Next up on in our new "take your pick" feature: Ethan Wragge vs. Dane Watts.
This is a really interesting battle between two guys who played basically the same position but had two mostly different games. Not to mention the vastly different "flashiness" levels -- Wragge hit some of the deepest threes we've seen, and he did it over and over and over again. But he and Watts actually have similar overall numbers.
Let's start with Watts, the 6-foot-8 forward from Warrensburg, Mo., who played his first three years with Creighton superstars Anthony Tolliver and Nate Funk (although Funk missed almost all of one of those years with his shoulder injury). He entered Dana Altman's starting lineup midway through his freshman (2004-05) season (he started the final 23 games) and averaged 7 points and 3 rebounds per game. He was named to the MVC's all-freshman team. In addition to starting the final 23 games of his freshman year, he would start every game his final three years.
Watts increased his scoring average every year -- 7.3, 10 and 11.3. He did the same on the glass (5.4, 6.4, 6.4) and from behind the 3-point line, improving from 35 percent his freshman year to 43 percent his senior year. He scored 1,152 points in his career, an average of 9 per game, while pulling down more than 5 rebounds per game. He made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, both first-round losses.
The 6-foot-7 Wragge is still fresh on the mind -- he made quite the splash during his senior year, the team's first as a member of the Big East. But it wasn't like he was doing anything new.
As a freshman, Wragge led the Jays in 3-pointers made (68) -- the first freshman to do so since Kyle Korver -- and 3-point percentage (43.3 percent). He was named to the MVC all-freshman team after being inserted into the starting lineup midway through the year -- sounds familiar! Wragge actually had some memorable moments the next year -- six threes at home against St. Joe's comes to mind -- before hanging it up on Dec. 22 due to foot troubles. He would receive a medical redshirt (which, numbers-wise, helps him in this battle against Watts).
Wragge hit 66 3-pointers his redshirt sophomore year, and was named the MVC's sixth man of the year after his junior season, when he was ranked as one of the nation's top shooters by pretty much everyone -- he just couldn't get into the starting lineup because he was backing up a fellow named Doug McDermott. And then his senior year rolled around, and before long, Creighton coach Greg McDermott realized that he couldn't keep Wragge on the bench, and inserted him into the five spot.
He made 110 3-pointers and shot 47 percent from behind the line his senior season, truly crazy numbers. We all remember many of his performances -- nine threes at Villanova, three in a row to break it open against Xavier at home, keeping the Jays in the game at St. Joe's. What else can you say about his shooting? But the most impressive thing about Wragge's senior year might be his improvement on the defensive side of the ball. He was asked to guard the opposing teams' centers, and he did it effectively if nothing else. His final career numbers: 1,155 points (three more than Watts!) on just 26 2-point field goals and close to 3 rebounds per game.
Take your pick: Dane Watts or Ethan Wragge?
This post was edited on 8/18 3:49 PM by Banter Danny
This post was edited on 8/18 5:54 PM by Banter Danny
Next up on in our new "take your pick" feature: Ethan Wragge vs. Dane Watts.
This is a really interesting battle between two guys who played basically the same position but had two mostly different games. Not to mention the vastly different "flashiness" levels -- Wragge hit some of the deepest threes we've seen, and he did it over and over and over again. But he and Watts actually have similar overall numbers.
Let's start with Watts, the 6-foot-8 forward from Warrensburg, Mo., who played his first three years with Creighton superstars Anthony Tolliver and Nate Funk (although Funk missed almost all of one of those years with his shoulder injury). He entered Dana Altman's starting lineup midway through his freshman (2004-05) season (he started the final 23 games) and averaged 7 points and 3 rebounds per game. He was named to the MVC's all-freshman team. In addition to starting the final 23 games of his freshman year, he would start every game his final three years.
Watts increased his scoring average every year -- 7.3, 10 and 11.3. He did the same on the glass (5.4, 6.4, 6.4) and from behind the 3-point line, improving from 35 percent his freshman year to 43 percent his senior year. He scored 1,152 points in his career, an average of 9 per game, while pulling down more than 5 rebounds per game. He made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, both first-round losses.
The 6-foot-7 Wragge is still fresh on the mind -- he made quite the splash during his senior year, the team's first as a member of the Big East. But it wasn't like he was doing anything new.
As a freshman, Wragge led the Jays in 3-pointers made (68) -- the first freshman to do so since Kyle Korver -- and 3-point percentage (43.3 percent). He was named to the MVC all-freshman team after being inserted into the starting lineup midway through the year -- sounds familiar! Wragge actually had some memorable moments the next year -- six threes at home against St. Joe's comes to mind -- before hanging it up on Dec. 22 due to foot troubles. He would receive a medical redshirt (which, numbers-wise, helps him in this battle against Watts).
Wragge hit 66 3-pointers his redshirt sophomore year, and was named the MVC's sixth man of the year after his junior season, when he was ranked as one of the nation's top shooters by pretty much everyone -- he just couldn't get into the starting lineup because he was backing up a fellow named Doug McDermott. And then his senior year rolled around, and before long, Creighton coach Greg McDermott realized that he couldn't keep Wragge on the bench, and inserted him into the five spot.
He made 110 3-pointers and shot 47 percent from behind the line his senior season, truly crazy numbers. We all remember many of his performances -- nine threes at Villanova, three in a row to break it open against Xavier at home, keeping the Jays in the game at St. Joe's. What else can you say about his shooting? But the most impressive thing about Wragge's senior year might be his improvement on the defensive side of the ball. He was asked to guard the opposing teams' centers, and he did it effectively if nothing else. His final career numbers: 1,155 points (three more than Watts!) on just 26 2-point field goals and close to 3 rebounds per game.
Take your pick: Dane Watts or Ethan Wragge?
This post was edited on 8/18 3:49 PM by Banter Danny
This post was edited on 8/18 5:54 PM by Banter Danny
