Leaving a Legacy – Seniors Rewriting School History

Making Their Mark

(St. Louis, MO) – In an era of mass transfers, rare college basketball players ‘stay home’ for their entire collegiate career and leave a legacy. There are legacy leaving seniors in both the Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley Conferences. The fans of those programs will never forget the mark left by some of these players.

Loyola’s twin seniors (Cameron Krutwig and Lucas Williamson), Austin Peay’s Terry Taylor and Bradley’s Elijah Childs are such players. These players have been leaders and major contributors to their resurgent programs.

Twin Ramblers – Krutwig & Williamson

While Krutwig is far more highly decorated of these two players, we picked both of these Rambler seniors. The two have been roommates and both played major supportive roles during Loyola’s historic trip to the Final Four.

Krutwig will likely go down as the greatest center in LUC history and has played a major role in Loyola’s rise to Missouri Valley preeminence. The 6’9 lefty has received all-conference Valley honors during all three of his MVC seasons. Krutwig was the Valley’s 2018 ‘Freshman of the Year’ and a third-team all-league player. He was also a member of the conference’s all-freshman and all-newcomer teams and the Ramblers went to NCAA Tournament’s semifinal round.

2019 saw Krutwig become the first Rambler to receive all-conference honors during his first two seasons at Rogers Park. While finishing third in the ‘player of the year’ balloting, Krutwig was a member of the league’s all-conference team. Meanwhile, the Ramblers won their second straight league title. He averaged 14.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.

Last season he finished second in the ‘player of the year’ race and was once again named to the all-league team. All of his statistical measurements increase. His 4.2 assists helped him to become the first MVC player to rank in  the top five in conference scoring (15.1), rebounding (8.1), assists and field goal percentage. While the Ramblers didn’t win their third straight league championship, Porter Moser’s team won 21 games, topping the 20-win plateau for the third straight season.

‘King Krut’ has amassed 1,384 points, 737 rebounds and 282 assists. He is the best passing big man in college basketball. Heading into his senior season, Krutwig has nailing .596 of his field goal attempts.

During Krutwig’s three meteoric seasons, Williamson despite battling injuries, has been a key building block in Moser’s resurgent program. Loyola has won 73 during this duo’s three campaigns and Williamson has been front and center the entire time.

Krutwig’s fellow Chicagoan was named to the Valley’s all-freshman and all-bench teams during that 32-win, Final Four team. Williamson’s sophomore season was interrupted by injuries. He missed 18 games, but was still named to the Fort Myers Tip-Off All-Tournament Team. Last year, the 6-4 wing was named to the league’s All-Defensive Team. His 607 career points and 287 rebounds do not blow you away. Two conference championships, a Final Four appearance and three, 20-win seasons do. His 104 career steals are impressive, but don’t tell the whole story of his defensive dominance. Williamson is a lock down defender.

Austin Peay’s Terry Taylor

While there have been great Austin Peay players and some great Governor teams, Terry Taylor is a transcendent player. During his ‘Freshman of the Year’ season he began his run of three straight all-conference awards. Heading into his senior season, Taylor is fourth on the APSU all-time scoring and rebounding lists. Even with a covid-shortened season he should finish his Governor career as at least the second-best scorer and third most prolific rebounder.

While APSU won 69 games the six seasons prior to Taylor’s arrival, the Governors have won 62 during Taylor’s three campaigns. Taylor out-pointed Murray State’s Ja Morant as the OVC’s 2018 ‘Freshman of the Year’ and was last season’s Ohio Valley Conference ‘Player of the Year’. His POY win was APSU’s first since Drake Reed’s 2007 award.

Belmont center Nick Muszynski says Taylor is a beast and the clear leader of the Governor squad.

 

 

Teammate and reigning ‘Freshman of the Year’ Jordyn Adams says Taylor has taught him the ropes of college basketball.

“He brought me in like a big brother,” said Adams. “We’ve become very close friends, competing with one another at practice and in games. I love going to war with him.”

For Taylor’s legacy to be secure, this year’s Governor squad needs to climb the ladder to OVC success. Coach Matt Figger wants a championship banner associated with his star and looks forward to the day APSU hangs Taylor’s journey from the rafters of their home court.

Elijah Childs – Bradley University

Though Childs’ career numbers don’t measure up to Krutwig’s or Taylor’s, the senior forward has been a major force in the Bradley turn around. The Braves have won at least 20 games in each of his three seasons. It had been eight years since a Bradley team had hit that mark. During Bradley’s previous six seasons they were 2-6 at Arch Madness. With Childs on the team, they are 7-1 and have won two straight tournament titles.

The 6’8 lefty has plenty of individual accomplishments. He has topped 1,000 points, his 667 rebounds rank him fourteenth on the Bradley career list and he is fifth in blocks with 126. Childs was the MVP of both Arch Madness and the Cancun Challenge.

While others have garnered more attention, Childs has been named to the Valley’s All-Freshman team (2018), its Third Team All-Conference (2019), most improved team (2019) and its Second Team All-Conference (2020). Twice he has landed on the Arch Madness All-Tournament team.

Since virtually no teams will win 20 games during this shortened season, that streak will end, but the Braves have gone from ‘Valley-Used-to-Be’ to ‘Valley Power’ since the arrival of Elijah Childs.

The Kansas City native is not a deep threat, but perhaps has the best mid-range game of any Valley big man. He has outstanding footwork in the post and can be a dominating rim protector. Simply put, he can be the best player in the league.

Prior to his arrival, Bradley hadn’t earned more than seven league wins in seven seasons and hadn’t produced a winning non-conference record in four. BU is 30-13 in games played outside the league and have won nine, nine and eleven conference games during his three-year career.

Childs is leaving a legacy.

Other Candidates

Tyreke Key will go down as one of the greatest scorers in Indiana State history. Northern Iowa’s A.J. Green has had two, dynamic seasons, but we believe ‘legacy’ status requires a longer career. His two seasons have been special and the Panthers won the regular season title last season, but this year will determine where the reigning ‘Player of the Year’ lands in legacy terms.

Belmont juniors Muszynski and Grayson Murphy are in line for this next season. Their individual accomplishments and team results put them in the same category as Loyola’s Krutwig and Williamson. Murray State’s Tevin Brown or Eastern Kentucky’s Jomaru Brown are similar to ISU’s Key.

Younger players like Southern Illinois’ Marcus Domask, Valparaiso’s Donovan Clay have a long way to go, but have started their resumes well. APSU’s Adams had a spectacular freshman season, but few observers believe he will be a three-year player, much less a four-year competitor.

The Missouri Valley and Ohio Valley Conferences are leagues that deeply appreciate history. Leaving a legacy is something truly special in our two leagues.

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