NORMAL, Ill. - Redbird basketball legend, and 1998 Illinois State Percy Family Hall of Fame inductee Roger Powell passed away on Saturday, March 21, surrounded by members of his family.
Powell was a four-year letterwinner and a three-year starter with the Redbirds, leading ISU in scoring during the 1975-76 season with a scoring average of 19.2. His 1,306 career points are the 20th-most in school history, while he averaged 13.2 points per game over his four years in Red and White.
His career-high scoring game came on February 16, 1976, with 39 points against Central Michigan, and his 30 points as a freshman against Morehead State remains tied for the fifth-most by a Redbird freshman in program history.
He was a Basketball Weekly All-Midwest honorable mention in 1976 and was co-MVP and tri-captain as a senior. His career closed with a 48.1 shooing percentage, making 568 career field goals.
After graduating, he played in the World Masters Game in Brisbane, Australia, helping Team USA to the Gold Medal at the age of 40.
A Parade High School All-American out of Joliet Central HS, his Redbird teams had a combined 62-41 record over his four years, including a 17-9 mark during his senior year.
