Rick Mount isn't much for awards. He has never been, instead always eager to deflect attention from himself and let his game do the talking.

But he admits when he was contacted by the College Basketball Hall of Fame on Tuesday about his selection into its 2017 class, just the 12th class in the relatively short history of the CBHOF, it was a bit humbling.

"I am honored to be recognized," Mount said when reached at his home Thursday morning. "At this stage of my life, you always like to be recognized for the things you did as a player, so that is always important."

Mount, not big on traveling far from his lifetime home of Lebanon, Ind., likely will not attend the induction ceremonies in Kansas City in November. But that doesn't mean it isn't important to Purdue's all-time leading scorer and two-time All-America (1969 and '70) guard to be part of the exclusive club that began inducting members in 2006.

"We had great teams at Purdue, and this award is recognition of the fact that we were Big Ten champs and made it to the Final Four," Mount said of the 1968-69 team that finished 23-5, won the league for the first time in 29 years and finished NCAA runner-up to UCLA. "At this (tournament) time of year, those memories all come back to me, so that is important."

Speaking of the tournament, Mount is excited to see what 2016-17 Boilermakers can do. He has seen just about every game on television and really likes Purdue's chances moving forward.

"I think we are the only Big Ten team with a chance of making it to the Final Four," Mount said. "It is going to be a tough Big Ten and NCAA Tournament because everybody is dangerous. But the important thing is they won the regular season (Big Ten) title and won it decisively. They are the best team in the league."

Mount is not a big fan the Big Ten Tournament, calling it "a money-making event," but said it is important the Boilermakers keep their edge heading into the NCAA.

"If I were playing I would look it as, 'Hey, we are champions, and we expect to play like it,'" Mount said. "But if you lose (in the Big Ten Tournament) you just brush it off and move on."

Naturally, Mount, a player worthy of a place on the Mount Rushmore of the greatest pure distance shooters in the history of college basketball, always has his eye on guard play. Yet, he really likes the Boilermakers' all-around team.

"It all goes through (Caleb) Swanigan," Mount said. "But they will have to make shots at crunch time. (P.J.) Thompson has done a good job directing the team, and I like how Spike (Albrecht) has played. Spike adds more stability and I wouldn't be surprised if he plays even more minutes in the NCAA. And (Dakota) Mathias and (Ryan) Cline have been pretty consistent shooting and I think that speedy little guy (Carsen Edwards) gives them a chance against pressure.

"(Coach Matt) Painter has done a really good job letting the guards play through missed shots. He has really built their confidence as shooters and I think that will really help them in the NCAAs.

"But I expect teams to bring full-court pressure in the Tournament. (Carsen) Edwards gives them a chance to break it, but I bet they get pressured a lot more in the tourney than they did in the regular season. They have been good all year (against pressure), but as everyone knows the NCAA Tournament is different. And things weren't easy for Purdue last year (handling pressure) so they may have to prove they can do it in the NCAA."

Mount also sees junior big man Isaac Haas as key to Purdue's chances later in March.

"He just has to be powerful," Mount said. "When he uses his legs to go up (to the basket) he is so much more effective. If he plays powerful, Purdue is at a whole different level."

On Jan. 5, Mount achieved a new level, at least in terms of age, celebrating his 70th birthday. While that milestone may be hard for Purdue fans to believe, the man nicknamed "The Rocket," remains in great physical shape. He loves the game of basketball as much as ever and still keeps himself in condition by shooting a couple hundred jump shots just about every day in the old gymnasium he made famous in Lebanon, Ind. When his grandson Jordan is home from Ancilla Junior College (in Plymouth, Ind.), where he a freshman on the basketball team, the duo will go at it hard with shooting competitions.

Over the Christmas break, the pair played a round of NBA H-O-R-S-E, which means no shots can be attempted closer than NBA three-point range. Grandpa still gets his share of victories in the friendly battle but is also proud of how Jordan has developed as a shooter.

"Jordan has a lot of tools as a shooter," Mount said. "We are just hoping he gets a chance to use them in the college game someday."

Mount made the most of his chance in the college game, becoming just the fourth Boilermaker (Gene Keady, John Wooden and Ward "Piggy" Lambert) to reach this Hall. Even more exclusive is Mount is just the sixth person from the Big Ten to be recognized by the College Hall of Fame for his exploits as a player, joining Indiana's Quinn Buckner, Ohio State's John Havlicek, MSU's Magic Johnson, Michigan's Cazzie Russell and Wooden.

That's pretty exclusive company for a shooter that the college game has seen often, if ever, before or since.

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