Purdue Basketball Great Jim Rowinski Passes Away
Today the Purdue basketball family lost one of the first great players under Gene Keady. Jim Rowinski, a star on Keady's first teams in the early 80s, passed away today at the age of 63.
Rowinski was a freshman and a walk-on in the 1980-81 season, Keady's first. After playing sparringly his first two years he became a top reserve in 1982-83 and a starter in 1983-84. In his final season he averaged 15 points per game and had 194 rebounds as Purdue's top player.
Rowinski played much of his career behind Russell Cross, but he helped Purdue to a 22-7 record as a senior with a Big Ten title, Keady's first. He also won the Chicago Tribune Trophy as Big Ten MVP.
He was eventually drafted in the fourht round by the Utah Jazz, but did not play a game until 1988. He would eventually play 23 games in the NBA over two seasons, and even picked up a cheap ring with the 1988-89 Pistons, playing six games for them.
