The University of Louisiana at Lafayette athletics program is mourning the death of former basketball standout Dwight “Bo” Lamar who died earlier this week in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio at the age of 74. Lamar starred for the Ragin’ Cajuns from 1969 to 1973 and was one of the best basketball players in the country. Kevin Foote covers UL Lafayette athletics for the Advocate.
“He was a first team All-American sophomore, junior and senior year. That just doesn’t happen hardly anywhere, but especially at mid-major programs,” Foote said.
Lamar averaged 31 points a game during his career and over his final three seasons, the Cajuns were 74-13 and only UCLA had a higher winning percentage. Foote says Lamar was the catalyst for then-Southwestern Louisiana’s rise from an NAIA program to one of the top programs in the country at the Division I level.
“He just was a star and had flash at a time where, again, the Cajuns were considered a top eight, 10 team in the country. They were playing most of the elite teams. They would regularly beat top 10 teams,” Foote said.
Lamar scored 3,493 points, which ranks third on the NCAA’s all-time scoring list. The former All-American guard played a few seasons in the ABA after his college career concluded. Lamar also played for one season with the Lakers. When his playing career ended, Lamar worked as a color analyst on Cajuns men’s basketball TV broadcasts, and he was a high school coach in Lafayette before returning to Ohio.
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