DETROIT (2/8/2021) -- The University of Detroit Mercy is in mourning as the Titans learned that Hall-Of-Famer Bruce Rodwan had passed away of natural causes over the weekend. He was 74 years old.
Rodwan - who was inducted into the Titan Hall of Fame in 1987 - was a three-year letter winner from 1965-68 and played a role in some of the most historic games in school history. He was just the 11th member of the Titans' 1,000-point club finishing his career with 1,116 career points.
As a senior, he tallied a career-high 36 points and 19 rebounds in a victory over defending Big Ten champions Indiana. He was also a part of the team that beat a Notre Dame team that was third in the NIT, 82-79, that season.
But as a junior, he scored the game-tying layup and then hit the game-winner at the buzzer to lead the Titans to a 94-92 overtime win over Marquette at home. The game is famous because as the Warriors - as they were known back then - were leaving the court, a scuffle broke out between fans and the team and Marquette's head coach Al McGuire would find himself arrested for assault.
Rodwan is still near the top of the all-time school career leaders in scoring (26th) and rebounding (6th). He topped the Titans in free throws attempted his last two years and also topped U-D in rebounding as a junior and free throws made his senior season.
A team captain as a junior and senior, he averaged 13.0 points and 11.8 rebounds as a sophomore, 16.4 points and 13.4 rebounds as a junior and 15.2 points and 11.1 rebounds as a senior. He earned honorable mention Academic All-American in 1968 as a senior, won the most improved player award for his performance during the 1965-66 campaign and captured the Varsity News' outstanding sophomore award.
As a prep, he was tabbed All-State twice as he led Ferndale High School to the state championship in 1963 and was named to the all-tournament team.
He was recently interviews for the Titan Memory Podcast, which was set to debut on Feb. 12, but is now available
here.
Final arrangements will be on Thursday, Feb. 11, from 2-8:00 p.m. at Spaulding & Curtin Funeral Home on 500 W Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, Michigan.
