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Diminutive college basketball star defying the odds and piling on the points

College hoops star overcomes shortcomings
Diminutive basketball star reaching new heights 01:55

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- In front of sold-out crowds, Central Michigan’s 21-year-old Marcus Keene has electrified fans this season.

“When I score 40 or I score 50, it’s basically for myself and for the fans,” Keene said.  

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Marcus Keene CBS News

The 5-foot-9 undersized scoring machine hopes to make history this year; He’s on pace to average more than 30 points a game, the first to do so since 1997.

“The taller guys think ‘oh because he’s short, I could lock him up’. No, that’s not the case,” he said.

Keene’s success has defied odds. Recruiters largely neglected him because of his height.

“His height’s probably a question to why we were able to get him,” said Chippewas head coach Keno Davis.

Davis believed Keene could dominate in a big man’s game.

“Some of the higher profile programs, they hear 5’9’ and that’s not the prototypical player that they want,” Davis said.

“I always wanted to prove people wrong ever since I was in middle school” Keene said.

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Marcus Keene lines up a three-pointer in practice CBS News

The one thing he still hasn’t accomplished?

“I wanna be able to dunk in a game,” he said.

“Overseas, professional, NBA, somehow, but I will dunk in a game sometime.”

The dunk may wait but the records are already falling.

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