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Mizzou honors ’93-94 team at Hearnes Center during exhibition opener

Mizzou reunion

(Ryan Henriksen/Columbia Daily Tribune)

Honoring the great 1993-94 Missouri team that went 14-0 in Big Eight play, the current Tigers opened their exhibition season in the 41-year-old Hearnes Center for perhaps the final time with a 73-48 victory over Oklahoma City University on Friday night.

The Tigers and 9,222 of their home faithful honored Norm Stewart’s acclaimed group of players in a ceremony before the game and Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch was there with the details of the ceremony and the details of the exhibition game.

“It means a lot because a lot of these guys I haven’t seen since my last year, and it feels good to be back at the Hearnes Center and also with Coach,” said former Missouri guard Melvin Booker, who was born 16 days after the Hearnes Center opened in August 1972. “For a minute I almost teared up out there because it brought back so many memories.”

The night’s turn-back-the-clock festivities began with a scene familiar to any Missouri fan who visited the Hearnes Center over the years as Truman the Tiger repelled from the rafters to kick off the celebration.

Next up, the 1993-94 team was introduced on at a time. The crowd saved its loudest cheers for the final three players introduced, in order: Lamont Frazier, Jevon Crudup and Booker.


The current Tigers made quick work of Oklahoma City as Tulsa transfer and starting point guard looked promising running Frank Haith’s offense. Clarkson scored seven points and had six assists and zero turnovers in the first half before sitting out the second half as a precautionary measure after taking a knee to his thigh.

Earnest Ross also finished with a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds and freshman forward Johnathan Williams III scored 10 points and added seven rebounds in a solid exhibition debut.

The game was also nice for Missouri as Melvin Booker’s son and star 2014 shooting guard recruit Devin Booker was also on campus for the second straight weekend, as Matter reports that Devin filmed the ceremonies a few rows behind the bench.

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