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Like a former pair of high school teammates
Posted on: September 12, 2016 at 08:25:20 CT
FIJItiger MU
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Lee Coward
Letterman - 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990
A prototypical point guard, Coward came to MU from Detroit along with high school teammate Nathan Buntin. Coward introduced himself to MU fans in his first matchup with ku, as he buried a 3 point buzzer beater to secure a 63-60 win in Columbia (it was the first season the Big 8 used the 3 point line). Coward would start the last 8 games of the season, 7 of which were victories, and he would be the Tiger’s second leading scorer in that stretch. The Tigers would be the surprise conference champions at 11-3, and use their 1 seed to advance to the conference tournament title game in a matchup with ku. Again the game was close, and again it was the freshman Coward deciding it…burying a shot with 4 seconds left to win the game and the conference tournament. The next season Coward would move into the starting lineup and quarterback the team after an injury sidelined senior Lynn Hardy, and he would respond with over 11 ppg and the 10th highest season in assists per game in program history as MU would climb to as high as #8 in the rankings. Further he set the all time MU single season record which still stands for 3 point accuracy at 52.7%. He would up both his scoring and his assists as a junior (logging the 4th highest season in assists with 164) and led MU to a then record 29 wins and the highest scoring team in program history. His senior season the Tigers would start the year at #5 and remain in the top 10 all season, claiming the #1 ranking on 4 separate weeks. MU was quite simply a juggernaut that destroyed opponents. However in a game against OU, Coward broke his wrist and was forced to the sidelines and the wheels came off. On Feb 24th MU stood at 25-2 and #1 in the nation, on March 16th its season ended at 26-6 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Coward would finish his career as MU's all time 3 point leader and 2nd all time in assists (currently 5th). Additionally he is 25th all time in scoring with 1,275 points and played on two conference champions and 4 NCAA tournament teams. As a testament to his ability to lead an offense during his 3 year tenure as a starter each of those seasons are the top 3 scoring season in MU history, with the lowest being 86.8 ppg and no other MU team since 1980 has even averaged 82 ppg in a season. All 3 teams avged at least 18 assists per game, and only 2 other times in program history has an MU even averaged 17 assists per game. After graduation, he attended the Piston's Rookie Camp, and then went on to play with the C.B.A. Sioux Falls Skyforce in 1990-1991 as their #1 Draft pick, averaging 15 ppg and would return to campus after his playing days to assist in Quin Snyder's basketball camps.
Nathan Buntin
Letterman - 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990
The 6'9 forward from Detroit and son of former Michigan star Bill Buntin came to MU and as a freshman played the second most minutes on the team right out of the gate. “Cool Breeze” scored 22 against Illinois and 28 against KSU and was the third highest scoring freshman in program history with 402 points for a 11.8 ppg and was second on the team in scoring. The Tigers were the surprise winners of the Big 8 conference in his first season thanks in large part to his contributions. The arrival of Doug Smith the next year meant decreased minutes for Buntin, but he still managed to average 9 ppg on what was the highest scoring MU team ever up to that point but one that finished only 4th in conference and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Then as a junior, Buntin would be lost in the shuffle of what may have been the Tigers most talented team ever. MU won the most games in program history to that point, but Buntin averaged only 13 minutes per game and 4.6 ppg. Not to be forgotten, he roared back as a senior. Buntin was Sports Illustrated's National Player of the Week in the non-conference for No. 4-ranked Missouri with averages of 24.5 points and 15.5 rebounds as the Tigers beat #7 Arkansas and two other non conference opponents. Later, he scored 22 points as Mizzou beat #1 Kansas and ascended to number 1 in the polls for the first time in eight years. For the season, he averaged 14.8 points and 9.5 boards per game (leading the team with 13 double doubles) and MU would win another conference title. The 304 rebounds that season was the 6th highest in MU single season history. In his final game, one in which he would lead the Tigers with 21 points, his three point play with under a minute to tie the game would be the last points of the season for MU as Northern Iowa's Maurice Newby hit a 25 footer at the buzzer to knock MU from the tournament. He is currently 22nd all time at MU with 1,308 points scored and is 10th in program history in career FG%. After being drafted by Grand Rapids of the CBA he instead elected to play overseas in Poland for several years.
Letterman - 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990
A prototypical point guard, Coward came to MU from Detroit along with high school teammate Nathan Buntin. Coward introduced himself to MU fans in his first matchup with ku, as he buried a 3 point buzzer beater to secure a 63-60 win in Columbia (it was the first season the Big 8 used the 3 point line). Coward would start the last 8 games of the season, 7 of which were victories, and he would be the Tiger’s second leading scorer in that stretch. The Tigers would be the surprise conference champions at 11-3, and use their 1 seed to advance to the conference tournament title game in a matchup with ku. Again the game was close, and again it was the freshman Coward deciding it…burying a shot with 4 seconds left to win the game and the conference tournament. The next season Coward would move into the starting lineup and quarterback the team after an injury sidelined senior Lynn Hardy, and he would respond with over 11 ppg and the 10th highest season in assists per game in program history as MU would climb to as high as #8 in the rankings. Further he set the all time MU single season record which still stands for 3 point accuracy at 52.7%. He would up both his scoring and his assists as a junior (logging the 4th highest season in assists with 164) and led MU to a then record 29 wins and the highest scoring team in program history. His senior season the Tigers would start the year at #5 and remain in the top 10 all season, claiming the #1 ranking on 4 separate weeks. MU was quite simply a juggernaut that destroyed opponents. However in a game against OU, Coward broke his wrist and was forced to the sidelines and the wheels came off. On Feb 24th MU stood at 25-2 and #1 in the nation, on March 16th its season ended at 26-6 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Coward would finish his career as MU's all time 3 point leader and 2nd all time in assists (currently 5th). Additionally he is 25th all time in scoring with 1,275 points and played on two conference champions and 4 NCAA tournament teams. As a testament to his ability to lead an offense during his 3 year tenure as a starter each of those seasons are the top 3 scoring season in MU history, with the lowest being 86.8 ppg and no other MU team since 1980 has even averaged 82 ppg in a season. All 3 teams avged at least 18 assists per game, and only 2 other times in program history has an MU even averaged 17 assists per game. After graduation, he attended the Piston's Rookie Camp, and then went on to play with the C.B.A. Sioux Falls Skyforce in 1990-1991 as their #1 Draft pick, averaging 15 ppg and would return to campus after his playing days to assist in Quin Snyder's basketball camps.
Nathan Buntin
Letterman - 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990
The 6'9 forward from Detroit and son of former Michigan star Bill Buntin came to MU and as a freshman played the second most minutes on the team right out of the gate. “Cool Breeze” scored 22 against Illinois and 28 against KSU and was the third highest scoring freshman in program history with 402 points for a 11.8 ppg and was second on the team in scoring. The Tigers were the surprise winners of the Big 8 conference in his first season thanks in large part to his contributions. The arrival of Doug Smith the next year meant decreased minutes for Buntin, but he still managed to average 9 ppg on what was the highest scoring MU team ever up to that point but one that finished only 4th in conference and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Then as a junior, Buntin would be lost in the shuffle of what may have been the Tigers most talented team ever. MU won the most games in program history to that point, but Buntin averaged only 13 minutes per game and 4.6 ppg. Not to be forgotten, he roared back as a senior. Buntin was Sports Illustrated's National Player of the Week in the non-conference for No. 4-ranked Missouri with averages of 24.5 points and 15.5 rebounds as the Tigers beat #7 Arkansas and two other non conference opponents. Later, he scored 22 points as Mizzou beat #1 Kansas and ascended to number 1 in the polls for the first time in eight years. For the season, he averaged 14.8 points and 9.5 boards per game (leading the team with 13 double doubles) and MU would win another conference title. The 304 rebounds that season was the 6th highest in MU single season history. In his final game, one in which he would lead the Tigers with 21 points, his three point play with under a minute to tie the game would be the last points of the season for MU as Northern Iowa's Maurice Newby hit a 25 footer at the buzzer to knock MU from the tournament. He is currently 22nd all time at MU with 1,308 points scored and is 10th in program history in career FG%. After being drafted by Grand Rapids of the CBA he instead elected to play overseas in Poland for several years.
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Like a former pair of high school teammates - FIJItiger MU - 9/12 08:25:20