Merle A. Rousey became Oklahoma A&M College's first basketball All-American in 1937.

He followed Henry Iba to Oklahoma after playing his sophomore year for Colorado, where he was a starter. 

He finished his first 22-game season here with 130 points, a team high. At the close of the season, he was named first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference.

His senior season, Rousey again won the team scoring title with 142 points, an average of 6.1 points per contest. He was named first-team All-MVC for the second-straight year, and was named first-team All-American, Oklahoma A&M's first such accolade. OAMC went 20-3 that year and won the Missouri Valley Conference title.