Marquette University Athletics
Brian Wardle Selected By Fayetteville In NBDL Draft
11/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 1, 2001
Milwaukee -- Brian Wardle (Clarendon Hills, Ill.), who closed out his career as Marquette University's No. 3 and Conference USA's No. 2 all-time leading scorer with 1,690 points, was chosen by the Fayetteville Patriots in the third round of the National Basketball Developmental League's inaugural draft. Wardle was the 17th player overall taken among the 96 draftees and the first player chosen in the third round.
Wardle became the first Marquette player to earn Conference USA First-Team honors when he captured a spot on the 2000-01 squad. He led Marquette and ranked No. 2 among league performers in scoring with an 18.8 points per game average. Named the team's MVP for the 2000-01 season, Wardle earned a spot on the NABC District 11 Second Team after scoring in double figures on 27 occasions. He ranked No. 5 in the league in overall action in three-point field goals per game (2.24) and was No. 8 in trey percentage (.382). In addition, he was MU's leading free throw shooter with an 83.8 percent mark, good for the No. 5 position on the C-USA list. His 544 points were sixth most by a Marquette senior while his 65 treys were third highest all-time among MU seniors.
Training camps for the eight-team league open on Nov. 6 with the regular season slated to tip off on Nov. 16. The NBDL, the National Basketball Association's new minor league, will play a 56-game schedule that will run from Nov. 16 through March 23 followed by playoffs.
The head coach of the Fayetteville Patriots is Nate "Tiny" Archibald, chosen as one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players and a member of the Hall of Fame. Former Marquette All-American Sam Worthen is an assistant coach on the team.
