Ryan aiming for more than scoring lead

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If senior Colt Ryan matches his scoring output from last season, he’ll leave UE as the program’s all-time leading scorer ahead of Larry Humes. KYLE GRANTHAM/COURIER & PRESS

Now a senior, Colt Ryan would leave as UE’s all-time leading scorer should he deliver a repeat performance of his junior season.

“Somebody mentioned that to me last year at the end of the year,” Ryan said. “That’s something that I’d like to achieve.”

But the 2011-2012 year ended short of a Missouri Valley Conference championship and NCAA tournament berth. As Ryan put it, “We have as a team a lot more goals that are more important.”

“If it happens, it happens,” he added. “Obviously I’d like to be the all-time leading scorer. That would be an incredible honor for me to have with the greats who have played here.

“To me, I’d rather have a team championship than be the all-time leading scorer.”

Ryan enters his senior season with 1,594 career points at UE, 642 points shy of Larry Humes’ 2,236. The Batesville, Ind., native averaged 20.5 points per game last season — 11th in the nation — and totaled 656 points.

Ryan, one of UE’s 44 1,000-point scorers, has led the Aces in points per game in each of his three collegiate seasons. He also started every game last season and led the MVC in minutes played.

“He’s been an integral part of everything we’ve done the last three years,” said coach Marty Simmons.

The Aces have Ryan, of course, but their optimism heading into this season is due to the pieces with which they’ve surrounded him. Look for more on that in the coming weeks.

UE’s All-Time Scoring List
1. Larry Humes (1964-1966) — 2,236
2. Marcus Wilson (1996-1999) — 2,053
3. Ed Smallwood  (1958-1960) — 1,898
4. Andy Elkins (1992-1995) –1,761
5. Scott Haffner (1987-1989) — 1,686
6. Brad Leaf (1979-1982) — 1,605
7. Colt Ryan (2009-) — 1,594
8. Parrish Casebier (1991-1993) — 1,535
9. Craig Snow (1998-2001) — 1,530
10. John Harrawood (1954-1957) — 1,479