At the start of his Georgetown career, Bob Sharpenter looked more like a "project" than a star. By the end of his years at the Hilltop, he stood among the school's most proficient big men.

Sharpenter averaged 27 points and 20 rebounds a game at Marmion Military Academy before joining the Hoyas, and averaged 15.7 per game on the 1958-59 freshman squad. Sharpenter struggled as a sophomore, appearing in only 12 games and shooting 34 percent from the field. His point total matched his jersey--54, a 4.5 point average.

Better things were expected from Sharpenter in 1960-61 and he delivered. Working alongside Tom Coleman and Paul Tagliabue in the frontcourt, Sharpenter improved his shooting touch and his inside play, scoring in 20 of 21 games, with four 20+ point games. His 12.1 points and 7.9 rebounds were enough for third place in each category, but provided a glimpse of the dominating season he would enjoy in 1961-62.

In 1961-62, Georgetown posted its most wins in a season since 1947, with four wins among a then-record five overtime games in a single season. Sharpenter led the team in scoring and rebounding, posting big efforts throughout the season: 25 points against Fairfield, a combined 44 points and 32 rebounds in the two game Richmond Invitational, 17 points and 16 rebounds versus Seton Hall. In February, his biggest effort was a 40 point, 17 rebound game against St. Joseph's, shooting 16 for 28 from the field, which broke the then-scoring record. Jack Ramsey called the performance the best he had seen in the Palestra all season, and it remains one of Georgetown's best single game performances to this date.

Sharpenter continued his fine play doen the stretch: 32 points and 11 rebounds versus Niagara, 27 points and 22 rebounds against NYU, and 30 points and 18 rebounds against Rhode Island.

Named the team's MVP following the season, Sharpenter was a 7th round draft pick of the NBA's Syracuse Nationals, the only senior selected in the 1962 NBA draft.

Forty five years after his senior season, Sharpenter's 12.5 rebounds per game average ranks as fourth all time for a single season.