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Mr. Abray "Nu" Milson, III
Graduated 2003

Home:
116 Northwood Dr.
Lafayette, La., Louisiana 70501

Work:

Home Phone: 337-232-7496
Work Phone: --
Fax: --
Email: --

Men’s Basketball: Reunion Tour

Milson’s journey back where it began

Joshua Parrott
jparrott@theadvertiser.com

As college freshmen, Abray Milson and Ryan Toolson roomed together and played basketball at Utah Valley University for coach Dick Hunsaker during the 2003-04 season.
Milson and Toolson parted ways after that one year. Milson left and spent two years at the College of Southern Idaho before transferring to UL.

After leading the Wolverines in scoring as a freshman, Toolson left school and spent two years on a church mission to Guatemala City. The 23-year-old junior is now one of the nation’s leading scorers.

The old roommates reunite tonight as UVU (6-12) and UL (7-9) face off in a non-conference game at the Cajundome. Just don’t expect Milson to share all the funny stories he knows about Toolson.
“There’s nothing I can tell the newspaper about,” Milson said, laughing. “He’s cool. He’s real laid back. He’s a really good guy.”

And a really good basketball player, too.

Toolson enters tonight’s game averaging 23.1 points per game this season – good for 11th in the nation and second among NCAA Division I independents. The 6-foot-4 guard, who led the nation in free-throw shooting last season, again leads the country in that category, making 80-of-83 from the line this season.

The Arizona native is just as deadly from other parts of the court. He topped the 30-point mark for the second straight game in Saturday’s 85-76 loss to Chicago State. He poured in a team-high 33 points on 11-of-13 shooting. He was 6-of-6 from 3-point range and 5-of-5 at the free-throw line.

So far this season, Toolson has scored at least 20 points 13 times, including four 30-point efforts.

UL coach Robert Lee called Toolson “one of the best” individual players the Cajuns will play this season.

“He’s averaging about 23 points per game and is very capable of getting 35,” said Lee, whose Cajuns look to end a two-game losing streak. “He can put that team on his back. He could single-handedly beat us here. Anytime you’re playing someone as talented as he is it’s a difficult challenge for your team.”

While Toolson eventually found success at UVU, Milson left Orem, Utah, to continue his basketball career. The Lafayette native ended up wanting more than playing for an athletic program that was a provisional member of NCAA Division I, which meant the Wolverines were not eligible for postseason play.

“It had nothing to do with coach Hunsaker; he’s a good coach,” Milson said. “I just felt like I wanted to play for a school that had a chance to play in the NCAA tournament.”

He ended up at the College of Southern Idaho, where he redshirted during the 2004-05 season for one of the nation’s winningest junior-college programs. After playing for the Golden Eagles as a sophomore, Milson transferred back to UL.

Since returning home, Milson has prided himself on doing the little things to help get the Cajun program back on track. Last season he averaged 2.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 26 games, including eight starts.

His individual numbers as a senior – 3.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game – aren’t overly impressive. But the 6-foot-9 center and sophomore Elijah Millsap are the only Cajuns to start all 16 games this season.

In an uncharacteristic night offensively, Milson scored a season-high 10 points in Saturday’s 72-65 loss at North Texas.

Still, his job description remains the same: Rebound, play tough interior defense and lead by example for one of the nation’s youngest teams.

“I love my job,” said Milson, UL’s lone big man this season. “I enjoy doing the dirty work. A lot of what I do doesn’t get in the stat sheet. But somebody’s got to do it.”

Milson also appreciates the opportunity to play against his former UVU roommate, teammates and coach one last time.

“I feel like I need to prove myself,” he said. “I want them to see that I really can play.”

Originally published by the Daily Advertiser January 15, 2008.