If Seth Dugan were not 7′ tall he would still be a great student, and if he did not have a 3.97 GPA he would still be a great basketball player: the fact that he is both that tall AND that smart means he is an Academic All-American. After a great high school career in Otsego he traveled 15 miles south to college in Kalamazoo, while his journey on the court saw him go from a bench player last year to a double-double machine this year. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Seth about facing Buffalo earlier this season and his legacy at Western Michigan.
You went to high school in Michigan: what made you choose the Broncos? It is close to home, which is a big factor for me. I love the coaching staff and a lot of my family went here as well.
You play for Coach Steve Hawkins: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him? He knows the game and learned from the best in Coach John Wooden. He cares about us not only as players but as students/people. He wants us to succeed in life and teaches us valuable lessons.
In the season opener last November you had 32 PTS/22 REB/6 AST in a win over Detroit: where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career? That is up there, probably the best that I have ever played. It was a lot of fun.
You played several NCAA tourney-caliber teams this year in non-conference play (including Cincinnati/Michigan/Mississippi): which of them impressed you the most, and why? Definitely Michigan. They are so well-coached and well-balanced: they have 5-6 guys who can score 20 PPG and they share the ball very well.
In January you scored 15 PTS/6-9 FG in a 9-PT loss to Buffalo: what makes the Bulls so good, and what did you think of their NCAA tourney run? They are also really well-coached and have great depth. They have a lot of seniors who know the system really well and constantly push the ball. They had a tough loss to a very good Texas Tech team but represented the MAC so well.
After averaging 5 PPG/4 RPG as a junior you had 16 PPG/10 RPG as a senior: how were you able to make such a huge leap from last year to this year? Honestly, I just got healthy! My junior year was tough: I had a stress fracture that kept me out but I did a lot of hard work this offseason. My teammates also deserve a lot of credit for finding me when I am open.
How do you think that your team will do next year after losing you/Josh Davis but returning almost everyone else? I think they are going to be really good. We have 3 guys coming back who were out this year and some really good recruits. I think that they will be fighting for a league championship.
Earlier this month you were named 1st-team Academic All-American: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is all about time-management and being responsible. I do not do a lot besides books and basketball. I pride myself in being a student-athlete so it was an incredible honor.
You have a 3.97 GPA as a 7’ tall Finance major: what is the post-college plan? I will hang up the basketball shoes but have been applying for jobs in southwest Michigan. I am excited for the next chapter of my life as I begin my business career.
When people look back on your college career, how do you want to be remembered the most? I hope they say that I gave it my all and was a great team guy. I cared about my teammates/community and tried to make the university proud as a man of character.