Older Hawkeye fans may be interested to know...

[MTobin]

...that Rick Mount will return to Mackey for the first time in over 25 years Saturday night as they celebrate a bobblehead night for him. They chose Iowa partly because of the games he had against them during his career. In six starts, he averaged 45.2 points vs. the Hawkeyes, with his senior year games featuring 53 and 61 points (Big Ten Record). Interestingly enough, those six games were split between the two teams.

There's an article about it over at GBI, but I don't think it's free content.

 

[SeattleHawki]

Whew. At 47 I was hoping this thread wouldnt apply to me. Since i dont know who this is i guess i will stay in the younger crowd for now.

Carry on old farts...

 

[TriCityHawk]

Just think what his average would have been if the 3 point line had been used back then.

 

[doughudd]

Just think what his average would have been if the 3 point line had been used back then.

Yep him and Maravich.

 

[MTobin]

Just think what his average would have been if the 3 point line had been used back then.

For starters, it's been determined the 61 point game would have been 74, i.e., 13 of his 27 made FGs were from current 3-point range.

 

[BGHAWK]

And the good guys won both of those games his senior year

 

[mazda1]

The definition of a gunner.

 

[herkyfan78]

Marked as premium, but anyone can read it:

https://purdue.rivals.com/barrier_noentry.asp?sid=892&script=/content.asp&cid=1841161

 

[RockEyeState]

And the good guys won both of those games his senior year

Rick Mount was certainly one of the most prolific scorers and tremendous outside shooters the
Big10 Conference has ever seen.

Too bad the snot-nosed kids never got to see this guy play. And see the Iowa Hawkeye team that beat him both times that storied season.

 

[Vbeachawk]

Yep, Miller's six-pack beat Purdue both times that season....both were unbelievable games and that was one of Iowa's greatest teams, if not the best ever.

 

[EastIowaHawk]

Watched him play against Iowa when I was a student in Iowa City. One of the best shooters I've ever seen.

 

[SSG T]

Whew. At 47 I was hoping this thread wouldnt apply to me. Since i dont know who this is i guess i will stay in the younger crowd for now.

Carry on old farts...

I get not seeing him or not knowing a lot about him, but you didn't even know who one of the best players in B1G history was? BTW, I'm 46 and knew him from hearing and reading about his Sr year, which was fantastic. For a long time he was the B1Gs all time leading scorer, passed by Cheaney in 1993.

 

[ISUhawk]

Loved watching Rick Mount in those games. They had another player on that team who played in the pros - Herm Gilliam. Maybe because it was my Hawkeye formative years, but in my mind that was the greatest Hawkeye basketball team. Fred Brown, John Johnson, Chad Calabria, Dick Jenson, Glenn ( the Stick) Vidnovic and Ben McGilmer.

Could of won it all. Ralph Miller was a great, great coach. One of his earlier teams beat No. 1 UCLA and Gale Goodrich on a neutral Court. Not on TV I listened to it on radio!

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Mount was an incredible shooter. I only got to see him on television, maybe 6-7 games, but I think he was as good as any college player has been on the offensive end of the court. I think Pistol Pete was a better ball handler, but Mount might have been an even better shooter. Not only was there no three-point shot, college players could only play varsity for three years. If he had four years, I suspect Mount would have easily been the all-time leading scorer in the Big Ten.

Beat Purdon't!

 

[HawkRugged17]

 

[HawkRugged17]

Mount was an incredible shooter. I only got to see him on television, maybe 6-7 games, but I think he was as good as any college player has been on the offensive end of the court. I think Pistol Pete was a better ball handler, but Mount might have been an even better shooter. Not only was there no three-point shot, college players could only play varsity for three years. If he had four years, I suspect Mount would have easily been the all-time leading scorer in the Big Ten.

Beat Purdon't!

For those who don't know about Pistol Pete, that's why youtube was invented. He was a prolific scorer (helps to play for your dad) in college, but his passing was unreal. In this Top 10, the highlights are from the NBA, but the passes (especially the underhand length of the court ones) are just unreal.

 

[shnoovy]

I get not seeing him or not knowing a lot about him, but you didn't even know who one of the best players in B1G history was? BTW, I'm 46 and knew him from hearing and reading about his Sr year, which was fantastic. For a long time he was the B1Gs all time leading scorer, passed by Cheaney in 1993.

This

 

[iabcuda]

Before dropping 61 on us, wasn't it Mount who complained at their shoot around about the west basket/rim in the field house being askew? Iowa measured and corrected an approximate one inch of left to right slant.

 

[SSG T]

While all of the players mentioned here were great players, the thing I think a lot of younger fans need to understand is how different the style of play was. I'm not talking about the dribbling, passing, etc, I'm talking about how they played team offense and defense. The point of the game in those days, and into the 1980s, was to score more point than your opponent. Defense was important, but it was there to force bad shots or get turnover, not to slow the game. Offense was there to score, not to control the ball.

That is one major reason I love the enforcement of the player control/freedom of movement rules, it opens the game to what it should be. And the tempo stats on Kenpom bare that out. Last season there were 9 teams that average 70 or more possessions per 40 min, and one above 75 (VCU). This year there are 168 teams above 70 poss per 40, and fifteen above 75. That's the way the game should be played.

 

[MTobin]

Before dropping 61 on us, wasn't it Mount who complained at their shoot around about the west basket/rim in the field house being askew? Iowa measured and corrected an approximate one inch of left to right slant.

That actually happened at Minnesota, but the story is true.

 

[BGHAWK]

Was it Mount, Maravich and Calvin Murphy that were the number 3 scorers in the country that year? I cannot remember which ones were 1, 2, 3. And my memory isn't too good, but wasn't that the case for those three guys for three straight years, soph, junior and seniors?

 

[rmarcoot]

Watched him play against Iowa when I was a student in Iowa City. One of the best shooters I've ever seen.

This

 

[SSG T]

Was it Mount, Maravich and Calvin Murphy that were the number 3 scorers in the country that year? I cannot remember which ones were 1, 2, 3. And my memory isn't too good, but wasn't that the case for those three guys for three straight years, soph, junior and seniors?

Austin Carr from ND was the 2nd leading scorer in 1970, and Elvin Hayes was in the top 3 in 1968. Hayes actually scored more points that season than Maravivh, but did so in 7 more games. Frank Selvy, Furman 1954, and Johnny Neumann, Ole Miss 1971, are the only others to average 40 ppg in a season. Calvin Murphy, Billy McGill, Freeman Williams (all once) and Austin Carr (twice) are the only others to average 38 ppg.

 

[SSG T]

BTW, 16 of the top 20 single season scoring averages were in the 1960' or 70's. The other four... Selvy (above), Darrell Floyd (35.9 ppg, Furman 1955), Hersey Hawkins (36.3 ppg, Bradley 1988) and Kevin Bradshaw (37.6 ppg, Alliant Int'l, 1991).

 

[ZaHawks]

He could light it up!!!!

 

[Ronman]

Outside of the baskets being the same height and size, it is a different game entirely today.

 

[soybean]

Outside of the baskets being the same height and size, it is a different game entirely today.

That is true. But Rick Mount would still score at nearly the same rate today as he did back then.

 

[rsigmundi]

Then there was Jimmy Rayl.

 

[ZumaHawk]

Pistol Pete was my favorite by far. NCAA scoring record may never get beat. His passing was incredible. Not trying to divert this thread either.

 

[DanL53]

While all of the players mentioned here were great players, the thing I think a lot of younger fans need to understand is how different the style of play was. I'm not talking about the dribbling, passing, etc, I'm talking about how they played team offense and defense. The point of the game in those days, and into the 1980s, was to score more point than your opponent. Defense was important, but it was there to force bad shots or get turnover, not to slow the game. Offense was there to score, not to control the ball.

That is one major reason I love the enforcement of the player control/freedom of movement rules, it opens the game to what it should be. And the tempo stats on Kenpom bare that out. Last season there were 9 teams that average 70 or more possessions per 40 min, and one above 75 (VCU). This year there are 168 teams above 70 poss per 40, and fifteen above 75. That's the way the game should be played.

And it's been more fun to watch basketball this year! Folks are getting a taste of what the old days were like. Now, if we could just do away with some of these timeouts....but, I know, it won't happen.

 

[mtown66]

Whew. At 47 I was hoping this thread wouldnt apply to me. Since i dont know who this is i guess i will stay in the younger crowd for now.

Carry on old farts...

Hey gashat, I didn't know Murray Weir either, but I know the history. Rick Mount was the most prolific scorer in Big Ten history and he scored all his points before the advent of the 3 point shot. He probably would have average around 10 points more per game if the 3 point shot had been in effect for him.
I remember listening to the Iowa Purdue game in 1970 when Iowa won 108-107 and Mount had 61 points. If the 3 point shot had been in effect that game, Mount would have had 74 points.
Carry on you ignorant middle aged gashats.

 

[hawkguy77]

And it's been more fun to watch basketball this year! Folks are getting a taste of what the old days were like. Now, if we could just do away with some of these timeouts....but, I know, it won't happen.

I agree about this year being more fun to watch. The game was never meant to be a pushing and shoving contest. It will be interesting to see how some of the coaches adjust to the new rules.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

I agree about this year being more fun to watch. The game was never meant to be a pushing and shoving contest. It will be interesting to see how some of the coaches adjust to the new rules.

I enjoy watching basketball that is allowed to flow. I hope the B1G officials don't gradually go back to ignoring the hand checking that several of the coaches have used for years to disrupt other teams. Izzo is probably the worst offender, and it will be interesting to see how Iowa's game at MSU is called.

 

[anon_i8nzeu2gbf0ba]

FYI for you youngsters: The world existed before you arrived, and chances are it'll be here after you're gone. And ya know what else? If fate so decides, someday you, too, will be "old." And if that time comes, I hope you enjoy being mocked by the young. It's really intelligent and cool.

 

[Legend12]

That is true. But Rick Mount would still score at nearly the same rate today as he did back then.

Not. A. Chance.

 

[lovedwatchingLester]

He could really shoot, running off screens so yeah I think he could

 

[1IHawk]

I saw the big scoring game in Iowa City as a kid. The fans would loudly shout "shoot" every time Mount touched the ball. I asked my dad 1/2 through, "Why are they wanting him to shoot, he never misses." He was the best long range jump shooter I can remember.

 

[SSG T]

As great as Mount was, there is zero chance he averages 35 a game (or even the 28 per game of his SO year) in today's game. I'd say that for any big scorer of the past, including the Pistol, Hayes, Mount, Murphy, Carr...any of them. Would they be top scorers? Fantastic chance of that. Would any of them average 30+ in a power conference today? No. I don't care how good of a shooter they are.

 

[lovedwatchingLester]

Yes different game now. Players then played their roles, and they were clearly defined roles then on some teams a following those roles allowed you to play. Rick Mount' s role was to shoot early and often.

 

[lovedwatchingLester]

And he was really good at it.