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Senior Spotlight: White Is ULM Basketball’s Flying Warhawk

Senior Spotlight: White Is ULM Basketball’s Flying Warhawk

Men's Basketball Mar 02
By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist

The ULM chapter of his basketball career is ending, but Tyree White refuses to go quietly.

Down the stretch, as injuries mounted and the team was left searching for offensive production, the senior from St. Louis has enjoyed some of his best performances as a Warhawk. The 6-foot-8, 205-pounder has scored in double figures in 12 of his last 13 games, averaging 14.9 points and 6.7 rebounds during that stretch.

"Once JD Williams went out as a double-figure scorer, we needed somebody to step up and score double figures every game," ULM coach Keith Richard said. "Tyree has done that for the most part. As that happened, he's become more confident on offense. We've run more stuff for him. It's been really nice to see."

Over the past 13 games, White is hitting 48 percent (71-of-148) of his field-goal attempts, including 44 percent (17-of-39) from behind the 3-point arc, and 73 percent (35-of-48) from the free-throw line during the stretch. He has led the Warhawks in scoring in eight of his last 13 games.

"His field-goal percentage has risen dramatically in the last 10 games," Richard said. "'It's been a little bit of shot-making, a little bit of driving and put-back dunks and an occasional 3. As a coach, you love seeing somebody improve, and I've really enjoyed watching him improve through conference play."

Heading into his final home game Tuesday, March 3 against Appalachian State (7 p.m. tipoff), White took a moment to reflect on his two years at ULM.

"It's all gone so fast," said White, who averages 10.4 points and a team-leading 5.6 rebounds in 28.9 minutes per game overall. "I had a good two years. I had a good run. I just wish it was a lot longer. I'm going to miss being here a lot."

Richard already had a great appreciation for White's willingness to play wherever they needed him. He toiled as an undersized center as a junior, started the year as a small forward on the perimeter and has found his groove in Sun Belt Conference play operating back in the paint.  In league games, White ranks tied for 12th in the Sun Belt in rebounding (6.1 rpg.) and 17th in scoring (13.2 ppg.).

"He's been the ultimate team player for two years," Richard said. "He played a back-up center position last year when we were extremely thin at the position. We tried him at the three and that didn't work. Then we moved him to the four. Through it all, he's never ever questioned us or complained. He's done everything we've asked for him to do."

Said White: "I just want to end the season the right way."

Where ever White lined up, he was always a good bet to provide an exciting dunk or two when he got the chance. For example, on Feb. 6 White ignited the crowd in a home game against Georgia State with an incredible soaring, one-handed alley-oop dunk on a long Michael Ertel lob from beyond the arc.

"That's where I flourish," White said. "That's me. I love being at the rim, and I feel so alive when I'm up there giving the crowd a show."

For Richard, White will go down as one of the most athletic rim-wreckers that he's ever coached.

"As far as a guy that can pogo stick off two feet, he's right up there near the top that I've been around as far as that kind of athletic ability," Richard said. "The ability to pop off two feet, and with that has he has a lot of different kinds of dunks. It's right up there high with guys that I've ever been around with that kind of jumping ability. It's an elite athletic ability off two feet."
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