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Its a top 100. Here are the last 20 guys they would have
Posted on: April 19, 2022 at 13:01:32 CT
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to leapfrog for inclusion.
# 100 � Kevin Young
Letterman � 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Kevin Young
He makes the list because in my opinion he improved over his 4 years possibly more than any Tiger. Lost over 70 pounds to adjust to the college level, Young started all but 2 games his junior and senior season. A superior position defender and space eater (which was vital given that he was typically guarding two men playing alongside Klieza), he went from a 33% free throw shooter to the 4th best on the team by his senior year. But his true value was in offensive rebounding. Playing for some of the most atrociously coached teams in NCAA history that literally had no offense, Young lead the Tigers in offensive rebounding his junior and senior seasons by a wide margin. In fact, he led the entire conference in offensive rebounding as a senior. His 106 offensive rebounds on the year was 66 more than any other Tiger.
# 99 - Carl Ristine
Letterman � 1907, 1908, 1909
A 6� guard from Joplin, Ristine was a founding member of Tiger basketball as he brought the game from the Joplin YMCA and persuaded MU�s athletic director to start a men�s team. In the program�s first ever game the Tigers defeated Central College 65-5. In the season�s final game, and in MU�s first ever matchup with ku, Ristine capped the scoring with a late field goal and a free throw to seal a 34-31 MU victory and give James Naismith a loss in his last career coaching game. Ristine also won a conference tennis title and was the captain of MU�s 7-0-1 Mo Valley champion football team. In his final game he would score 16 of MU�s 28 points in an MU victory, and he would be named MU�s first ever All Conference player on the season. Ristine would go on to enjoy a successful law practice that ultimately led him to Washington where he was the Assistant Attorney General of the United States.
# 98 - Chris Heller
Letterman � 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994
A 6�10 center from Kansas City, Heller�s career is probably best summarized as injury plagued and inconsistent. In fact, the only legitimate reason to include him on such a list is a flash of excellence that seemed to come from out of nowhere. As a sophomore, Heller turned in an injury filled campaign of only 15 minutes for the entire season. Heller�s junior season was a rough one for the Tigers, and they finished 7th out of 8 teams in conference. It looked like it would be the first time in 8 years that the Tigers hadn�t qualified for the NCAA tournament. However, Heller outplayed Bryant Reeves in the opening round and MU pulled off the upset. In the semifinals he scored 20 points and had 7 rebounds to propel MU to the tournament finals. MU beat KSU to secure the conference�s automatic bid and Heller was named the tournament MVP. Despite a first round loss to Temple, Heller put up a double double in defeat. True to form, his senior season saw him avg 1.7 ppg and 1.9 rebounds. He is 7th all time at MU in blocked shots.
# 97 - Kenneth Yunker
Letterman - 1926, 1927, 1928
Yunker was a scoring forward from Sedalia, MO who after three straight losing season�s helped turned the program around by posting a winning record and finished 4th in the conference in scoring. As a senior he was the clear leader, and he improved upon the season before by leading them into second place in the MO Valley, their best finish in 5 years. Needing a win to clinch second in the season�s last game, Yunker scored 20 in a 49-29 win over ku to close his Tiger career.
# 96 - Al Abram
Letterman � 1958, 1959
The 6�5 forward from St. Louis, Abram is not only listed first alphabetically among Tigers but was also a first of another kind�a pioneer that broke the color barrier at MU by becoming the school�s first African American awarded an athletic scholarship in 1956. Upon joining the varsity, he had the unenviable task of defending ku�s Wilt Chamberlain in the Tiger�s matchups with the jayhawks. His senior year was the first of the Big 8, and although Abrams led the Tigers in both scoring and rebounding at 16.1 and 11.5 respectively MU became the first ever 8th place conference finisher. Abrams played professionally briefly with Seattle of the old National Industrial Basketball League.
# 95 - Mike Sandbothe
Letterman � 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
The ultimate role player and the epitome of a �Norm� guy, the 6�8 forward/guard started 20 games as a freshman in a year that saw the Tigers return to the NCAA tournament after a two year absence. The next season he started 34 games for a Tiger team that won both the regular season and conference tournament championships. Sandbothe was the player who new his role, as well as his limitations, and consistently delivered on what you were expecting. All four years his ppg and his rebounding didn�t fluctuate outside a range of 1.7. Sandbothe is tied for second all time at MU in single game steals with 7, and he also had two 6 steal games. For his career he is 8th all time at MU in FG%, and 6th in assists, and 5th in steals. But probably the stat the most accurately captures Sandbothe is that he is the MU all time leader in games played at 134. To put that in context that is 33.5 games all 4 years of eligibility.
# 94 - Jeff Warren
Letterman � 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
A 6�8 forward from Michigan, Warren was one of the most efficient Tigers ever. As a sophomore, Warren made 67.6% of his shots�a mark that is still the all time single season record at MU. As a junior he made 24 shots in a row at one point, missing the national record by just one shot and again setting an MU all time mark. For his Tiger career Warren shot 61.4%, again the best mark in MU history. Further, Warren was a 3 time academic all conference player.
# 93 - Stan Ray
Letterman � 1976. 1977, 1978
A promising center from Cape Girardeau, Ray was never able to fully realize his potential due to injuries and academic problems. As a freshman, Ray was the Big 8 Freshman of the year after avging 9.1 ppg and 8.3 rebounds. He also helped MU to an outright conference title for the first time in 46 years and an elite eight appearance where he scored 13 points and had 15 rebounds in the loss to Michigan. After playing the opening games of his sophomore year, Ray was declared ineligible due to academic reasons and was lost for the year. Although he returned the next season, a broken hand all but erased the bulk of his season. MU stumbled to a 7th place conference finish. But prior to the conference tournament Ray slid a note under Stewart�s office door that claimed, �I know you don�t have any confidence in my, but I�m going to prove everybody wrong and take this team to the NCAA tournament.� Shades of Chris Heller 15 years later, Ray would lead the Tigers back in the final minutes against NU by scoring the final 4 points in a 61-58 MU upset victory that sent them to the tourney finals. Against KSU, MU would force overtime and Ray scored the final 6 points in a 71-68 MU win that sealed them an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. Ray scored 17 points and had 13 rebounds on the day and was named the tournament�s MVP. Ray would collect 12 boards against Utah in the opening round, but MU would lose 86-79.
# 92 - Steve Wallace
Letterman � 1979, 1980
Wallace was an athletic scoring and lock down defending JUCO transfer that shared backcourt duties with Larry Drew. He scored 21 to lead the Tigers in a win over NU that moved Norm Stewart into first place all time in wins at MU. He followed that up with 28 points in an overtime victory against ISU, and MU sealed up second place in conference with a win over KSU in which Wallace scored 20. That season he and Drew would combine to be the highest scoring guard combo in the league. After such a successful season, MU secured the greatest recruiting class in its history (adding three future All American�s in Sundvold, Frazier, and Stipanovich) and were poised for greatness. MU started the season at 11-1 but at the semester were dealt a large blow, as their starting guard who Stewart called �inexhaustible� was ruled academically ineligible and effected ended his Tiger career.
# 91 - Ned Monsees
Letterman � 1964, 1965
A 6�4 bruising forward, Monsees was known for his rebounding. As a senior in a win over #4 St. Louis Monsees would score 24 points and collect 24 rebounds in a 62-54 game. He would follow that up with 32 points against Rice. In a win over OU he would score 21 points and grab 19 rebounds. In the postseason tournament he would again grab 24 rebounds in a game against KSU, a mark that is still the highest ever for a Tiger in the postseason. His 11.8 rebounds per game on the season is the 5th highest mark ever for a Tiger.
# 90 - George Flamank
Letterman � 1963, 1964, 1965
A physical forward from Albany Missouri with a flair for rebounding, Flamank was a starter in his first year as a Tiger. In a game against OU in the Big 8 tournament Flamank collected 20 rebounds as MU topped the 100 point mark for the first time in program history with a 104-82 win. As a junior he would make honorable mention all conference. Then as a senior he would avg 10.8 rebounds a game, the 8th highest total in MU history and earn First Team All Big 8 Honors. He would finish with a career rebounding avg of 9.4 per game, the 6th highest in Tiger history.
# 89 - Bud Heineman
Letterman � 1949, 1950, 1951
A 5�10 guard from Versailles, Heineman�s scoring played a key role in one of the program�s first great wins. Traveling to Madison Square Garden to face the defending NCAA and NIT champion City College of New York (the first and only team to win both tournaments in the same season), MU took a 31-14 halftime lead on the strength of 15 first half points by Heineman. He would finish with 19 on the game and MU won 54-37 to shock the nation. The AP vaulted MU to #8 and they even earned two first place votes. For the season Heineman would use his jump shooting to break a 30 year old scoring record that had stood since MU�s long forgotten Premo Champion team with 283 ppg. He would lead the Tigers in scoring both his junior and senior seasons.
# 88 - Blaine Currance
Letterman � 1938, 1939, 1940
A 6�5 post player with perimeter skills, Currance was also a standout on the gridiron as he played end and punted on MU�s 1939 Orange Bowl team. The Tigers tied for a conference titles in his junior season, but declined an NCAA invitation citing travel costs (with an 8 team field one victory would have resulted in a Final Four appearance). In his senior season MU would again tie for a conference title, and Currance was named First Team All Conference in his final season. A four team playoff resulted for the right to play in the NCAA tournament, and for the second year in a row MU did not participate despite winning the conference after they lost to OU. After leading MU to back to back titles, it would be another 35 years before they would win another.
# 87 - Greg Flaker
Letterman � 1971, 1972
A 6�3 guard from Cape Girardeau who still made use of the two handed set shot, Flaker played a supporting role on Stewart�s first great Tiger teams. MU would finish his first season at 17-9 overall and in a tie for second place in conference, considerably better than they had done in more than a decade. But in an era when winning your conference was the only way to gain entry to the NCAA tournament, and when the NIT invited OU instead of MU the Tigers were left with no postseason to show for it. Bolstered by Flaker�s outside shooting in his senior season MU would climb to as high as #14 in the polls , marking the first time they had been ranked in 17 years. The Tigers contended for the conference title all season long, but ended up falling just short and securing a second place finish. In his final home game Flaker scored 19 as MU defeated OU and received an NIT bid, the program�s first ever. Against hometown St. John�s at Madison Square Garden in the opening round, Flaker would score a game high 27. But MU would lose in overtime 82-81 to conclude the year at 21-6 for the best Tiger season since 1930.
# 86 - Jeff Hafer
Letterman � 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
A 6�5 guard initially, Hafer would later transition to an undersized power forward based on necessity and was one of the players to transition the program between Norm Stewart and Quin Snyder. He came to MU from Joplin as a high flyer during the very lean years of MU recruiting, Hafer came to embody the �Norm� type of player who takes nothing off the table and plays the game the right way, and that was especially useful after Quin took over. After helping the Tigers return to the NCAA�s for the first time in 4 years as a junior, he played a key role in keeping them there as a senior playing out of position on a team that included only 1 player over 6�6. Hafer is currently 6th all time at MU in steals.
# 85 - John Woods
Letterman � 1998, 1999
A 6�3 JUCO transfer, Woods was a gun-slinging sharpshooter. In the pre-Snyder days he and Mark Atkins were the original loose cannons (and the only players to attempt 15 threes in a game under Norm). He started the second most games of any Tiger in his first season with the club and was a double digit per game scorer. His next and last season saw him up his scoring, and he finished second on the team in ppg on the Tiger�s highest finish in Big 12 history (in fact he was one of only two players to avg double digits in points on the year).
# 84 - Sonny Siebert
Letterman � 1956, 1957
A 6�3 guard from St. Louis, Siebert joined the Tigers and was asked to replace the graduated Norm Stewart. He would score 22 in his first game, a win over S. Dakota, and another 19 in a win over USC. But after starting 5-2 the Tigers would fade down the stretch. The next season started much the same as the last, with Siebert scoring 27 in a huge win over Indiana and also scored 23 in a win over Princeton. But again when conference play started the Tigers struggled. The lone bright spot was an 74-53 upset over #20 OU when Siebert scored a career high 31 points. MU tied for last in conference, but Seibert was named All Conference and led the Tigers with 16.7 ppg. Poised as MU best returning player in the inaugural Big 8 season, Seibert instead elected to skip his senior season and sign a professional contract with the Cleveland Indians. The $40,000 offer was more than head coach Stalcup was making and so the coach advised him to not pass up the opportunity. Unfortunately it also doomed MU, who became the first team to ever finish 8th in the Big 8 as a result.
# 83 - Bob Price
Letterman � 1963, 1964
A 6�2 guard from Granite City, Illinois Price came to MU the same season that Bob Vanetta took over as head coach. In his first season, Price would finish second on the team in scoring at 13.2 ppg. He would improve as a senior and lead MU as well as finish second in conference with a 19.6 ppg avg. He would also earn First Team All Conference honors on the year.
# 82 - Jason Horton
Letterman � 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Horton was the prized point guard recruit that was going to finally solve that issue for the Snyder regime. Alas, his career would be derailed by the system in a similar manner as his predecessors. He started from day 1 and is the only freshman this century to lead the team in assists. Never much of a scoring threat, he was an excellent on the ball defender. He ranks 10th all time in steals at MU. But the most amazing thing statistically is that despite playing on two of the lowest scoring teams in MU history and never having the benefit of a adequate big man to finish for him, he ranks 5th all time in assists at MU. His 61 losses (along with Marshall Brown) are the most losses any Tiger has participated in during their career, and he concluded his career without ever participating in an NCAA tournament game.
# 81 - Mike Jeffries
Letterman � 1971, 1972, 1973
A powerful swingman, Jeffries was originally a quarterback on MU�s football team before being persuaded to build a career on the hardwood. MU would finish his first season at 17-9 overall and in a tie for second place in conference, considerably better than they had done in more than a decade. But in an era when winning your conference was the only way to gain entry to the NCAA tournament, and when the NIT invited OU instead of MU the Tigers were left with no postseason to show for it. His junior season was the last in Brewer Field House, and MU fielded possibly its best team the building had seen. He would combine with star John Brown to score 46 in an MU 74-73 win over Arkansas early in the season, and came within one controversial charging call of upending Kentucky on the road in what ultimately was a 83-79 loss. MU would advance to the conference tournament finals for the first time in 17 seasons and with the help of Jeffries 11 points and 10 boards would defeat KSU to claim the championship. MU would finish in second place again, this time with a 21-6 overall record and the program�s first NIT appearance and a final ranking of #18. To follow up possibly the best season the program had seen in 40 years, in Jeffries season season MU did better. They would start the season at #12 and in a new arena, as work on the Hearnes Center was finally complete. The would start 8-0 and move to #7 in the nation before entering conference holiday tournament play. Against OU in the second round, Jeffries had the game of his career in scoring 28 points to lead MU to a 69-68 win and the title game. There the Tigers defeated #16 KSU to claim the title and move to #5 in the polls, their highest ranking ever, and a 12-0 record. MU would finish 21-5, again claim second place in conference, and again secure a spot in the NIT where they lost to UMass 78-71.
# 80 - Mark Atkins
Letterman � 1993, 1994
Atkins was a 6�5 JUCO shooting guard, and he never met a shot he didn�t like. Basically he was Clarence Gilbert while Gilbert was still in middle school. His first year with the Tigers only one other player shot more than 27 three point attempts, Atkins shot 212. But he converted at nearly 40% and was 3rd on the team in scoring at 12.2 ppg. He was again the designated 3 point bomber his senior season, but it was a more key role on a team that went undefeated in conference and is MU�s only #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Atkins trailed only Melvin Booker in 3 pointers made for MU at the conclusion of his career, and still ranks 8th all time despite only playing two years at MU.
# 100 � Kevin Young
Letterman � 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
Kevin Young
He makes the list because in my opinion he improved over his 4 years possibly more than any Tiger. Lost over 70 pounds to adjust to the college level, Young started all but 2 games his junior and senior season. A superior position defender and space eater (which was vital given that he was typically guarding two men playing alongside Klieza), he went from a 33% free throw shooter to the 4th best on the team by his senior year. But his true value was in offensive rebounding. Playing for some of the most atrociously coached teams in NCAA history that literally had no offense, Young lead the Tigers in offensive rebounding his junior and senior seasons by a wide margin. In fact, he led the entire conference in offensive rebounding as a senior. His 106 offensive rebounds on the year was 66 more than any other Tiger.
# 99 - Carl Ristine
Letterman � 1907, 1908, 1909
A 6� guard from Joplin, Ristine was a founding member of Tiger basketball as he brought the game from the Joplin YMCA and persuaded MU�s athletic director to start a men�s team. In the program�s first ever game the Tigers defeated Central College 65-5. In the season�s final game, and in MU�s first ever matchup with ku, Ristine capped the scoring with a late field goal and a free throw to seal a 34-31 MU victory and give James Naismith a loss in his last career coaching game. Ristine also won a conference tennis title and was the captain of MU�s 7-0-1 Mo Valley champion football team. In his final game he would score 16 of MU�s 28 points in an MU victory, and he would be named MU�s first ever All Conference player on the season. Ristine would go on to enjoy a successful law practice that ultimately led him to Washington where he was the Assistant Attorney General of the United States.
# 98 - Chris Heller
Letterman � 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994
A 6�10 center from Kansas City, Heller�s career is probably best summarized as injury plagued and inconsistent. In fact, the only legitimate reason to include him on such a list is a flash of excellence that seemed to come from out of nowhere. As a sophomore, Heller turned in an injury filled campaign of only 15 minutes for the entire season. Heller�s junior season was a rough one for the Tigers, and they finished 7th out of 8 teams in conference. It looked like it would be the first time in 8 years that the Tigers hadn�t qualified for the NCAA tournament. However, Heller outplayed Bryant Reeves in the opening round and MU pulled off the upset. In the semifinals he scored 20 points and had 7 rebounds to propel MU to the tournament finals. MU beat KSU to secure the conference�s automatic bid and Heller was named the tournament MVP. Despite a first round loss to Temple, Heller put up a double double in defeat. True to form, his senior season saw him avg 1.7 ppg and 1.9 rebounds. He is 7th all time at MU in blocked shots.
# 97 - Kenneth Yunker
Letterman - 1926, 1927, 1928
Yunker was a scoring forward from Sedalia, MO who after three straight losing season�s helped turned the program around by posting a winning record and finished 4th in the conference in scoring. As a senior he was the clear leader, and he improved upon the season before by leading them into second place in the MO Valley, their best finish in 5 years. Needing a win to clinch second in the season�s last game, Yunker scored 20 in a 49-29 win over ku to close his Tiger career.
# 96 - Al Abram
Letterman � 1958, 1959
The 6�5 forward from St. Louis, Abram is not only listed first alphabetically among Tigers but was also a first of another kind�a pioneer that broke the color barrier at MU by becoming the school�s first African American awarded an athletic scholarship in 1956. Upon joining the varsity, he had the unenviable task of defending ku�s Wilt Chamberlain in the Tiger�s matchups with the jayhawks. His senior year was the first of the Big 8, and although Abrams led the Tigers in both scoring and rebounding at 16.1 and 11.5 respectively MU became the first ever 8th place conference finisher. Abrams played professionally briefly with Seattle of the old National Industrial Basketball League.
# 95 - Mike Sandbothe
Letterman � 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
The ultimate role player and the epitome of a �Norm� guy, the 6�8 forward/guard started 20 games as a freshman in a year that saw the Tigers return to the NCAA tournament after a two year absence. The next season he started 34 games for a Tiger team that won both the regular season and conference tournament championships. Sandbothe was the player who new his role, as well as his limitations, and consistently delivered on what you were expecting. All four years his ppg and his rebounding didn�t fluctuate outside a range of 1.7. Sandbothe is tied for second all time at MU in single game steals with 7, and he also had two 6 steal games. For his career he is 8th all time at MU in FG%, and 6th in assists, and 5th in steals. But probably the stat the most accurately captures Sandbothe is that he is the MU all time leader in games played at 134. To put that in context that is 33.5 games all 4 years of eligibility.
# 94 - Jeff Warren
Letterman � 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993
A 6�8 forward from Michigan, Warren was one of the most efficient Tigers ever. As a sophomore, Warren made 67.6% of his shots�a mark that is still the all time single season record at MU. As a junior he made 24 shots in a row at one point, missing the national record by just one shot and again setting an MU all time mark. For his Tiger career Warren shot 61.4%, again the best mark in MU history. Further, Warren was a 3 time academic all conference player.
# 93 - Stan Ray
Letterman � 1976. 1977, 1978
A promising center from Cape Girardeau, Ray was never able to fully realize his potential due to injuries and academic problems. As a freshman, Ray was the Big 8 Freshman of the year after avging 9.1 ppg and 8.3 rebounds. He also helped MU to an outright conference title for the first time in 46 years and an elite eight appearance where he scored 13 points and had 15 rebounds in the loss to Michigan. After playing the opening games of his sophomore year, Ray was declared ineligible due to academic reasons and was lost for the year. Although he returned the next season, a broken hand all but erased the bulk of his season. MU stumbled to a 7th place conference finish. But prior to the conference tournament Ray slid a note under Stewart�s office door that claimed, �I know you don�t have any confidence in my, but I�m going to prove everybody wrong and take this team to the NCAA tournament.� Shades of Chris Heller 15 years later, Ray would lead the Tigers back in the final minutes against NU by scoring the final 4 points in a 61-58 MU upset victory that sent them to the tourney finals. Against KSU, MU would force overtime and Ray scored the final 6 points in a 71-68 MU win that sealed them an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. Ray scored 17 points and had 13 rebounds on the day and was named the tournament�s MVP. Ray would collect 12 boards against Utah in the opening round, but MU would lose 86-79.
# 92 - Steve Wallace
Letterman � 1979, 1980
Wallace was an athletic scoring and lock down defending JUCO transfer that shared backcourt duties with Larry Drew. He scored 21 to lead the Tigers in a win over NU that moved Norm Stewart into first place all time in wins at MU. He followed that up with 28 points in an overtime victory against ISU, and MU sealed up second place in conference with a win over KSU in which Wallace scored 20. That season he and Drew would combine to be the highest scoring guard combo in the league. After such a successful season, MU secured the greatest recruiting class in its history (adding three future All American�s in Sundvold, Frazier, and Stipanovich) and were poised for greatness. MU started the season at 11-1 but at the semester were dealt a large blow, as their starting guard who Stewart called �inexhaustible� was ruled academically ineligible and effected ended his Tiger career.
# 91 - Ned Monsees
Letterman � 1964, 1965
A 6�4 bruising forward, Monsees was known for his rebounding. As a senior in a win over #4 St. Louis Monsees would score 24 points and collect 24 rebounds in a 62-54 game. He would follow that up with 32 points against Rice. In a win over OU he would score 21 points and grab 19 rebounds. In the postseason tournament he would again grab 24 rebounds in a game against KSU, a mark that is still the highest ever for a Tiger in the postseason. His 11.8 rebounds per game on the season is the 5th highest mark ever for a Tiger.
# 90 - George Flamank
Letterman � 1963, 1964, 1965
A physical forward from Albany Missouri with a flair for rebounding, Flamank was a starter in his first year as a Tiger. In a game against OU in the Big 8 tournament Flamank collected 20 rebounds as MU topped the 100 point mark for the first time in program history with a 104-82 win. As a junior he would make honorable mention all conference. Then as a senior he would avg 10.8 rebounds a game, the 8th highest total in MU history and earn First Team All Big 8 Honors. He would finish with a career rebounding avg of 9.4 per game, the 6th highest in Tiger history.
# 89 - Bud Heineman
Letterman � 1949, 1950, 1951
A 5�10 guard from Versailles, Heineman�s scoring played a key role in one of the program�s first great wins. Traveling to Madison Square Garden to face the defending NCAA and NIT champion City College of New York (the first and only team to win both tournaments in the same season), MU took a 31-14 halftime lead on the strength of 15 first half points by Heineman. He would finish with 19 on the game and MU won 54-37 to shock the nation. The AP vaulted MU to #8 and they even earned two first place votes. For the season Heineman would use his jump shooting to break a 30 year old scoring record that had stood since MU�s long forgotten Premo Champion team with 283 ppg. He would lead the Tigers in scoring both his junior and senior seasons.
# 88 - Blaine Currance
Letterman � 1938, 1939, 1940
A 6�5 post player with perimeter skills, Currance was also a standout on the gridiron as he played end and punted on MU�s 1939 Orange Bowl team. The Tigers tied for a conference titles in his junior season, but declined an NCAA invitation citing travel costs (with an 8 team field one victory would have resulted in a Final Four appearance). In his senior season MU would again tie for a conference title, and Currance was named First Team All Conference in his final season. A four team playoff resulted for the right to play in the NCAA tournament, and for the second year in a row MU did not participate despite winning the conference after they lost to OU. After leading MU to back to back titles, it would be another 35 years before they would win another.
# 87 - Greg Flaker
Letterman � 1971, 1972
A 6�3 guard from Cape Girardeau who still made use of the two handed set shot, Flaker played a supporting role on Stewart�s first great Tiger teams. MU would finish his first season at 17-9 overall and in a tie for second place in conference, considerably better than they had done in more than a decade. But in an era when winning your conference was the only way to gain entry to the NCAA tournament, and when the NIT invited OU instead of MU the Tigers were left with no postseason to show for it. Bolstered by Flaker�s outside shooting in his senior season MU would climb to as high as #14 in the polls , marking the first time they had been ranked in 17 years. The Tigers contended for the conference title all season long, but ended up falling just short and securing a second place finish. In his final home game Flaker scored 19 as MU defeated OU and received an NIT bid, the program�s first ever. Against hometown St. John�s at Madison Square Garden in the opening round, Flaker would score a game high 27. But MU would lose in overtime 82-81 to conclude the year at 21-6 for the best Tiger season since 1930.
# 86 - Jeff Hafer
Letterman � 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
A 6�5 guard initially, Hafer would later transition to an undersized power forward based on necessity and was one of the players to transition the program between Norm Stewart and Quin Snyder. He came to MU from Joplin as a high flyer during the very lean years of MU recruiting, Hafer came to embody the �Norm� type of player who takes nothing off the table and plays the game the right way, and that was especially useful after Quin took over. After helping the Tigers return to the NCAA�s for the first time in 4 years as a junior, he played a key role in keeping them there as a senior playing out of position on a team that included only 1 player over 6�6. Hafer is currently 6th all time at MU in steals.
# 85 - John Woods
Letterman � 1998, 1999
A 6�3 JUCO transfer, Woods was a gun-slinging sharpshooter. In the pre-Snyder days he and Mark Atkins were the original loose cannons (and the only players to attempt 15 threes in a game under Norm). He started the second most games of any Tiger in his first season with the club and was a double digit per game scorer. His next and last season saw him up his scoring, and he finished second on the team in ppg on the Tiger�s highest finish in Big 12 history (in fact he was one of only two players to avg double digits in points on the year).
# 84 - Sonny Siebert
Letterman � 1956, 1957
A 6�3 guard from St. Louis, Siebert joined the Tigers and was asked to replace the graduated Norm Stewart. He would score 22 in his first game, a win over S. Dakota, and another 19 in a win over USC. But after starting 5-2 the Tigers would fade down the stretch. The next season started much the same as the last, with Siebert scoring 27 in a huge win over Indiana and also scored 23 in a win over Princeton. But again when conference play started the Tigers struggled. The lone bright spot was an 74-53 upset over #20 OU when Siebert scored a career high 31 points. MU tied for last in conference, but Seibert was named All Conference and led the Tigers with 16.7 ppg. Poised as MU best returning player in the inaugural Big 8 season, Seibert instead elected to skip his senior season and sign a professional contract with the Cleveland Indians. The $40,000 offer was more than head coach Stalcup was making and so the coach advised him to not pass up the opportunity. Unfortunately it also doomed MU, who became the first team to ever finish 8th in the Big 8 as a result.
# 83 - Bob Price
Letterman � 1963, 1964
A 6�2 guard from Granite City, Illinois Price came to MU the same season that Bob Vanetta took over as head coach. In his first season, Price would finish second on the team in scoring at 13.2 ppg. He would improve as a senior and lead MU as well as finish second in conference with a 19.6 ppg avg. He would also earn First Team All Conference honors on the year.
# 82 - Jason Horton
Letterman � 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Horton was the prized point guard recruit that was going to finally solve that issue for the Snyder regime. Alas, his career would be derailed by the system in a similar manner as his predecessors. He started from day 1 and is the only freshman this century to lead the team in assists. Never much of a scoring threat, he was an excellent on the ball defender. He ranks 10th all time in steals at MU. But the most amazing thing statistically is that despite playing on two of the lowest scoring teams in MU history and never having the benefit of a adequate big man to finish for him, he ranks 5th all time in assists at MU. His 61 losses (along with Marshall Brown) are the most losses any Tiger has participated in during their career, and he concluded his career without ever participating in an NCAA tournament game.
# 81 - Mike Jeffries
Letterman � 1971, 1972, 1973
A powerful swingman, Jeffries was originally a quarterback on MU�s football team before being persuaded to build a career on the hardwood. MU would finish his first season at 17-9 overall and in a tie for second place in conference, considerably better than they had done in more than a decade. But in an era when winning your conference was the only way to gain entry to the NCAA tournament, and when the NIT invited OU instead of MU the Tigers were left with no postseason to show for it. His junior season was the last in Brewer Field House, and MU fielded possibly its best team the building had seen. He would combine with star John Brown to score 46 in an MU 74-73 win over Arkansas early in the season, and came within one controversial charging call of upending Kentucky on the road in what ultimately was a 83-79 loss. MU would advance to the conference tournament finals for the first time in 17 seasons and with the help of Jeffries 11 points and 10 boards would defeat KSU to claim the championship. MU would finish in second place again, this time with a 21-6 overall record and the program�s first NIT appearance and a final ranking of #18. To follow up possibly the best season the program had seen in 40 years, in Jeffries season season MU did better. They would start the season at #12 and in a new arena, as work on the Hearnes Center was finally complete. The would start 8-0 and move to #7 in the nation before entering conference holiday tournament play. Against OU in the second round, Jeffries had the game of his career in scoring 28 points to lead MU to a 69-68 win and the title game. There the Tigers defeated #16 KSU to claim the title and move to #5 in the polls, their highest ranking ever, and a 12-0 record. MU would finish 21-5, again claim second place in conference, and again secure a spot in the NIT where they lost to UMass 78-71.
# 80 - Mark Atkins
Letterman � 1993, 1994
Atkins was a 6�5 JUCO shooting guard, and he never met a shot he didn�t like. Basically he was Clarence Gilbert while Gilbert was still in middle school. His first year with the Tigers only one other player shot more than 27 three point attempts, Atkins shot 212. But he converted at nearly 40% and was 3rd on the team in scoring at 12.2 ppg. He was again the designated 3 point bomber his senior season, but it was a more key role on a team that went undefeated in conference and is MU�s only #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Atkins trailed only Melvin Booker in 3 pointers made for MU at the conclusion of his career, and still ranks 8th all time despite only playing two years at MU.
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Its a top 100. Here are the last 20 guys they would have - FIJItiger MU - 4/19 13:01:32