WHAC Player of the Year in NBA Draft

TULSA, Okla. - Former Indiana Tech men's basketball standout and 2011-12 WHAC Player of the Year Rodney Bartholomew was selected by the Tulsa 66ers in fifth round of the 2012 NBA D League draft on Nov. 2. The 66ers are the affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Bartholomew, a two-time NAIA All-American, led the Warriors to a 45-19 during his two seasons at Tech and helped the program make its first NAIA DII National Championship tournament appearance since 2008.

The 6-8 forward from Port Sulphur, Louisiana proved to be one of the nation's elite big men posting 18 double-doubles in 31 games, averaging 17.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per contest. He dominated on the boards, pulling down a conference best 354 rebounds, good enough for second in the country. He also ranked first in offensive rebounds per game (4.7), third in total rebounds per game (11.4), and ninth in defensive rebounds per game (6.7).

Not only was Bartholomew a force on the glass, but could score with the best of them. He tallied a team-high 544 points this season and ranked 12th in the nation in field goal percentage shooting at a .596 clip. In just two years, he amassed 989 points, just 11 shy of reaching the 1,000 point plateau. He shattered the record for free throws made in a season at Indiana Tech knocking down 178-of-261 chances this year. The previous mark was set in the 1988 season at 132.

In addition to his offensive output, Bartholomew was also a tremendous defensive player landing among the conference leaders in blocks and steals. He was an integral part of a defensive that ranked second in the nation in scoring defense per game (59.3), ninth in field goal percent defense (.404), and 11th in total blocks (115).

Bartholomew wasn't the only Tech alumnus taken in the draft as 2009 graduate Bryant Austin was also selected, picked up by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the eighth round. He most recently played for the Lima Explosion of the ABA. In his senior season at Tech, Austin helped lead the team to a 21-10 record while averaging 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game.