RE: Anderson, Anderson...name sounds familar but
Posted on: April 20, 2018 at 13:39:30 CT
FIJItiger
MU
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Kim Anderson
Letterman - 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977
A lanky undersized center at 6'7 and hailing from Sedalia MO, Anderson was a bit role player who averaged 3 points and 2 rebounds as a freshman as a member of the first freshman class to play varsity since WWII. His role would increase greatly as a sophomore as he averaged 13.9 ppg and 8.5 rebounds as MU returned to postseason play for the first time also since WWII in the short lived National Collegiate Commissioners Invitational Tournament after completing their first undefeated home slate since 1930. Facing Purdue in the tournament’s first round, Anderson chipped in 22 but outside of one other Tiger the remaining team contributed just 20 points and after Anderson fouled out MU lost 87-74. It was at the time the highest scoring MU team ever with an 83.5 ppg average. MU would start his junior season winning 7 of 9 with notable outcomes of beating Hawaii with only 4 players on the floor after the rest of the roster had fouled out and setting a new program record for margin of victory in a 106-34 win over MacMurray. Anderson would score 11 points in the overtime period to beat Nebraska, and MU clinched their first outright conference title in 46 years. MU would storm into the Elite Eight against eventual title game participant Michigan, and led 76-71 with under 8 to play when Anderson hurtled down the court on a breakaway, got undercut, and called for a technical foul for touching the rim (dunking was outlawed at the time). MU would crumble at the foul line and lose three starters including Anderson to fouls and fall 95-88. Anderson would earn Second team All Big 8 honors and average 13.9 point and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 53% from the field.
Anderson's senior campaign would open at 6-2 and by scoring 22 points to lead the Tigers over ku in the conference holiday tournament's title game MU captured its 5th conference tourney title in 6 years. Anderson would score 38 points in an 87-79 win over ku that left MU in first place at 8-2 in conference, but MU would lose their last two games to finish in a tie for 2nd. After losing in the postseason conference tourney championship game MU declined the NIT invitation and finished the year 21-8. Anderson would finish with an 18.3 ppg and 7.9 rebound average, and lead the league in scoring during conference play with 22.1 ppg. He would also earn Conference Player of the Year honors in addition to First Team All Conference recognition.
Anderson is 9th all time in MU history with 26 double doubles. He currently ranks 22nd with 1,289 points scored. He was one of a select few to be drafted twice in the NBA, selected with the 28th pick by Portland in the 1977 draft as well as the 1978 draft by Milwakee. After a brief NBA career and a career overseas he returned to MU as an assistant, was Assistant Commissioner and Director of Basketball Operations of the Big 12, before taking over as the head coach at CMSU and winning a D2 national championship there. He then spent 3 seasons destroying MU as its head coach before becoming the first head coach in program history to be fired, accumulating a tenure that almost certainly is the worst across all D1 programs in the modern era of college basketball.