Mizzou’s Evan Unrau Named SEC Legend
1/16/2017 10:50:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Unrau is one of 14 members in the SEC’s 2017 Class of Women’s Legends
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Former Mizzou Women's Basketball standout Evan Unrau was named to the Southeastern Conference 2017 Class of Women's Legends, as announced by the league. Unrau is one of 14 individuals from across the league that will be honored at the 2017 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament from March 1-5 in Greenville, S.C. during halftime of each team's first game.
Unrau, who shined for Mizzou from 2000-04, is one of the most decorated Tigers in program history. The forward averaged 13.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest in 119 career games at Mizzou. She helped steer the Tigers to two NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the Sweet 16 as a freshman.
Unrau finished her career with 1,597 career points, which ranks seventh all-time in program history. Only eight Mizzou players have ever racked up more than 1,500 career points. Unrau corralled 945 career rebounds, the third most in program history.
After pouring in 16.0 points per game as a junior and 17.0 points per contest as a senior, she took home back-to-back First Team All-Big 12 honors in 2003 and 2004 and earned Honorable Mention All-America recognition in 2004. Unrau also excelled in the classroom, receiving First Team Academic All-Big 12 honors for three consecutive seasons from 2002-04. She was a four-time Dean's List honoree, earned a degree in psychology and was the recipient of Mizzou's prestigious Athletic Director's Scholarship Award.
Mizzou fans will recall Unrau's most memorable night on the court on Feb. 22, 2004. The Tigers hosted No. 8 Kansas State and fell in a double overtime thriller, but Unrau stole the show. She racked up a career-high 40 points on 15 field goals and added 15 rebounds in an incredible effort that caught national attention. Unrau's 40-point night was a home-court single-game scoring record that stood until last season, when current Mizzou sophomore Sophie Cunningham poured in 42 points against Wake Forest.
After taking Mizzou to its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance to end her career on a high note, Unrau graduated and was drafted by the WNBA's Washington Mystics. Unrau is currently an associate head coach for the University of California, Santa Barbara's women's basketball program.
Mizzou Women's Basketball continues SEC play on Thursday when the Tigers host Texas A&M at 8 p.m. on SEC Network. For all the latest on Mizzou Women's Basketball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @MizzouWBB.
FLASHBACK LINKS:
Columbia Daily Tribune: Unrau Unreal in Defeat
ESPN Feature: So Hard to Say Good-Bye
