March 3, 2004
Columbia, Mo. - Sunday, March 7, 2004 brings to close an era in Missouri Athletics. On this day, Missouri's basketball team will play its final game in the Hearnes Center. The Warren E. Hearnes Multipurpose Building was the official name given to this wonderful facility when it opened in 1972. Over the last 32 seasons, Mizzou has played 476 games, winning 405. Former legendary coach Norm Stewart led his Tigers to 343 victories in this venue. Quin Snyder's teams have gone 62-14 over the past five seasons there.
Over the past 32 years, the Hearnes Center has played host to two sitting Presidents. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter was on hand for an MFA Convention. Then in 1992, President George H.W. Bush was here for the opening of the "Show-Me State Games". It has also hosted the likes of Bob Hope, Billy Joel, Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles, Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, and St. Louis native Nelly, among countless other entertainment luminaries. Coaching giants like Bob Knight, Jim Boeheim, Digger Phelps, Jim Valvano, Roy Williams and Nolan Richardson have patrolled the visitor's sideline. It has proven to be quite a landmark in this state.
While it has played host to many events, the Hearnes Center will always be synonymous with basketball - basketball played at the very highest level of college athletics. Since the arena opened on November 25, 1972 with an 87-75 win over Ohio University, Missouri has taken advantage of the great home court atmosphere the Hearnes Center provides. Five Tiger squads have gone undefeated there, and 14 teams have lost one game or fewer in 31 years. From 1988 through 1990, the Tigers ran off 31 straight wins at home.
It has also provided a venue for some great players. John Brown, who scored the very first basket in the building, was certainly a crowd favorite. Kim Anderson and Willie Smith, who helped Mizzou win its first Big 8 Conference title. Jon Sundvold and Steve Stipanovich, who led the Tigers to four straight Big 8 crowns. The school's all-time leading scorer Derrick Chievous. All-America selections Doug Smith and Anthony Peeler. All-America guard Melvin Booker, who was the star of the 1993-94 team that won the conference title with a perfect 14-0 record. And more recently, NBA first-round selections like Keyon Dooling and Kareem Rush, as well as many others, who have represented the state of Missouri and this University with a tremendous work ethic we can all be very, very proud of.
Let us not forget some of the great women's players in Mizzou history. Joni Davis and Renee Kelley, were shining stars who both had their jerseys retired. If you scan the records books you will see names such as Lorraine Ferret, Amanda Lassiter, Carla Yancey, Amy Fordham, Julie Helm, Kesha Bonds, Stacey Williams, Ericka Fields, and Kerensa Barr. Current star Evan Unrau, who recently put on perhaps the greatest individual performance in Mizzou history, when she scored 40 points, pulled down 15 rebounds and had four assists, before fouling out with 1.9 seconds left in the second overtime of a 93-90 loss to 8th-ranked Kansas State. Of that 50 minute contest, Unrau played all but the final 1.9 seconds. It was a truly awe-inspiring performance.
There have been many great games played over the last 32 years. Perhaps the most significant was played on March 5, 1994 when Missouri defeated Nebraska 80-78 to finish Big 8 play 14-0, becoming the first team in 23 years to accomplish that feat. Mizzou fans will always remember the four-overtime marathon with Iowa State, won by the Tigers on February 24, 1999. How about February 4, 1997 when a Missouri team that would finish the season with a losing record, beat number one Kansas 96-94 in double-overtime on Corey Tate's free throw line jumper. Quin Snyder's first win over a top team came inside the Hearnes Center. On January 22nd, 2000, his Tigers blitzed 7th ranked Kansas by 22. There certainly have been other great moments throughout the years. Those are just a few!
The first Missouri Women's game at Hearnes was on January 17, 1975. Northwest Missouri beat the Tigers 79-61. The Tigers returned the favor February 24, 1978 beating Northwest 71-68 to clinch the school's first conference championship. On March 2, 1985 Missouri beat Kansas State 92-75 to clinch the Big 8 title. In 1986, Renee Kelly scored a school-record 41 in a 105-79 loss to Oklahoma. In 1990, Missouri beat Oklahoma at Hearnes to clinch the school's 3rd Big 8 crown under former coaching great Joann Rutherford. February 2, 2002 was the date a record 10,321 fans watched Mizzou beat arch-rival Kansas 69-57 under current coach Cindy Stein.
It all culminates on March 7th, when the Tiger men host Kansas, in a nationally-televised game on CBS. Former Governor Hearnes and his wife Betty will be on hand that afternoon, along with former coach Norm Stewart and many former Tiger greats to help us lower the curtain on what has been an absolutely tremendous facility for Tiger basketball. While we're excited about the future arena, Sunday will certainly be an emotional day as we say goodbye to the Warren E. Hearnes Multipurpose Building. We have many special things planned to help give a proper sendoff to the arena, and are hopeful that you will have a chance to join us Sunday afternoon.
As always, I would like to thank you for taking time to read this column. If you have questions about this topic, or anything related to Mizzou Athletics or college athletics in general, please feel free to contact me via e-mail at aldenm@missouri.edu.