COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Basketball legend John Brown will have his number officially retired during a halftime ceremony of Mizzou’s matchup with Ole Miss on Saturday, March 9, the Tigers’ season finale at Mizzou Arena. Brown’s No. 50 Mizzou jersey will be enshrined in the rafters and his impressive career as a Mizzou forward from 1971-73 will be honored.
“John Brown was one of the most-significant student-athletes of the Norm Stewart-era, and we look forward to honoring him for his outstanding achievements on the court next month,” said Mizzou Director of Athletics Jim Sterk. “He is most deserving of this honor, and we look forward to celebrating with his family and friends.”
Brown joins a strong contingence of Mizzou Basketball legends that have had their numbers retired, including Derrick Chievous (No. 3) who had his number retired on Feb. 19. Brown joins Chievous, Jon Sundvold (No. 20), Norm Stewart (No. 22), Willie Smith (No. 30), Doug Smith (No. 34), Steve Stipanovich (No. 40) and Bill Stauffer (No. 43) in this select circle of Tiger greats.
Brown recorded 37 career double-doubles during his three seasons as a Tiger, a mark that still ranks fourth all-time. The 6-foot-7 forward totaled 17 double-doubles during the 71-72 season and led the Tigers to a 21-6 record and a 10-4 mark in the Big Eight. He averaged 21.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game that season, posting the third-highest total for a Mizzou junior in both categories.
A 1973 All-American, Brown again led the Tigers in scoring (21.0) and rebounding (10.0) during the 72-73 season while also posting one of four 20-point and 20-rebound games in Mizzou history at Kansas on February 27, 1973, hauling in 21 boards and scoring 21 points, in the 13th-ranked Tigers’ 79-63 win. Less than a week later, Brown scored a career-high 41 points against Oklahoma State on March 3, 1973. His 41 points are the ninth-highest total in a single game in Mizzou Basketball history. Brown scored more than 30 points on eight different occasions during his Mizzou career.
The Mizzou forward finished his career with 1,421 points and 720 rebounds through 72 games over three seasons. His 19.7 points per game scoring average goes down as the highest total for a Mizzou player through three seasons. Brown, who was named first-team All-Big Eight after his junior and senior seasons, sits at fourth in all-time rebounding average, hauling in 10.0 rebounds from 1971-1973.
Brown was chosen as an alternate for the U.S. Olympic team for the 1972 Olympics and was later drafted with the 10th pick of the 1973 draft by the Atlanta Hawks and was named to the NBA All-Rookie team after averaging 9.3 points and 5.7 rebounds during the 73-74 season.
The March 9 game that will feature Brown’s halftime ceremony will tip off at 2:30 p.m.
— Mizzou Athletics —