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Happy 86th birthday to a True Son

Posted on: January 20, 2021 at 07:57:45 CT
FIJItiger MU
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Letterman - 1954, 1955, 1956

An obviously dominating figure in MU basketball history, Norm Stewart was just as dominating a player on the court as off of it. The Shelbyville native was a 6'5 guard, a potent scorer, ball handler, and rebounder whose game was ahead of its time. After narrowly declining an invitation by Phog Allen to become a jayhawk on the advice of Indiana coach Branch McCracken, he arrived at MU both shy and modest (not the general description of him in today's terms). In addition to being a superior basketball player Stewart was also proficient on the diamond, winning a national baseball championship for MU in 1954, pitching a no hitter, and playing in the Cardinals minor league system.

In his varsity debut, he would score 7 points in a 75-43 victory over Drake. In a route against Houston that ended in a 96-62 victory Stewart would have a monster of a game with 19 points and 18 rebounds. On the year MU would finish an unremarkable 11-10 and Stewart would avg 12.2 ppg.

As a junior, Stewart was being recognized as possibly the best player in the conference. In a matchup with two time national title winner McCracken and Indiana early in the season Stewart would score 16 in a 64-61 MU upset. MU would follow that up against #4 Iowa, and Stewart would score 19 in a 97-94 overtime Tiger victory. Next came a win over Wisconsin where Stewart scored 26, and MU went from unranked to #6 in the national polls. MU would run away with the conference's holiday tourney title without ever being seriously challenged. They would defeat NU by 17 thanks to 26 from Norm, and after leading by as many as 28 in the title game against KSU Stewart was named the tourney MVP. Stewart took particular satisfaction in winning 76-65 over ku in MU's last ever game at Hoch Auditorium. It set up a meeting with CU to decide the league title, but CU prevailed 66-57 and MU finished 2nd at 16-5 and ranked #20. Stewart would avg 16.7 ppg and 8.9 rebounds while being named First Team All Conference and Honorable Mention All American.

Norm's senior campaign marked the 50th year of basketball for MU, and Stewart would be unquestionably the team's focal point. Early in the season in facing 8th ranked Illinois Stewart would score 27 points in the second half alone (31 in the game) to overcome a 15 point deficit and win 74-73. Against Texas Tech he would break the MU single game points record by scoring 35. Despite MU finishing 3rd in the conference's holiday tournament, Stewart collected his second consecutive MVP of the tourney. MU would start 8-3 but Stewart would injure his back against CU, and although playing through pain to the tune of 25 points against NU the Tigers would lose three straight and Stewart would be confined to the University Hospital in traction. Luckily a two week break for exams followed that allowed for rest, and Norm returned to score 23 points in a win over OU. MU would complete the sweep of ku in their last ever meeting with Phog Allen 85-78 and in doing so dealt the jayhawks their first ever loss at Allen Field Dump. Stewart would score 26 against ISU, and then broke his own single game scoring record with 36 in a win over CU to become only the second Tiger ever to top 1,000 career points. He would follow that up with 33 in a win over ISU and then another 29 in a win over OU. In a key conference battle between 1st place KSU and 2nd place MU Stewart would record 24 points and 15 rebounds in an 85-72 win and with just one game to play MU trialed KSU by 1 victory. Stewart would score 20 as MU beat NU 88-80, but KSU would defeat ku and earn the conference's postseason bid. MU would finish the year at 15-7. Stewart would avg 24.1 ppg to lead the conference, the 4th highest scoring avg in program history, and top 30 points 6 times… a single season mark that has only been bested by two other Tigers. Additionally he avged 10.7 rebounds per game, the 10th highest mark in program history.

Stewart would be named First Team All Conference and make the All American team. He finished with 1,112 points good for 2nd all time and now 29th. His career scoring avg of 17.7 ppg ranks 7th and his career rebounding avg of 9.2 also ranks 7th, nearly avging a double double for his career. He is one of 6 Tigers to have their jersey retired. He played briefly for the St Louis Hawks of the NBA before returning to Columbia as an assistant. Stewart then eventually moving on to head coach at Northern Iowa, never to be heard from again….
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Happy 86th birthday to a True Son - FIJItiger MU - 1/20 07:57:45
     🧁 - Ace A - 1/20 08:45:49




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