Hartselle, AL (Morgan Co. HS)

El Paso, TX (T. Jefferson HS/Cisco (TX) Juco)

Kansas City, MO (Raytown South HS)

St. Louis, MO (McKinley HS/Forest Park Juco

HIGHLIGHTS:

Ninth-ranked Missouri visited Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 26, 1972, but the highly rated Tigers weren’t the most distinguished guests at the game that day.  Thirteen members of the 1952 championship team were in attendance as part of a 20^th anniversary ceremony honoring their accomplishment.  Before the game, Owens told the Kansan, “I don’t know whether they will have any effect, but I know that if I were a player, having those great players there would be just added incentive to play well.”  Bud Stallworth must have agreed.  Stallworth scored 50 points as KU upset the Tigers 93-80.  He was 19 of 38 from the field and 12 of 13 from the line and scored 24 of KU’s first 30 points.  Stallworth was the only Jayhawk in double figures that day and didn’t reach to 50-point mark until he hit two free throws with seven seconds remaining.

Stallworth’s mother was at the game, the first time she had seen her son play in Allen Fieldhouse.  Afterward, Stallworth was fairly subdued about his accomplishment:  “Once you get started, it’s hard to cool off.”  Stallworth, who had been selected an Academic All-American in 1971, was a consensus All-American selection in 1972 and was named KU’s most Valuable Player.  He was a first-round pick of the Seattle SuperSonics in 1972 and played five seasons in the NBA with Seattle and New Orleans.