Here are 10 of the most memorable KU-Mizzou men’s basketball games as series restarts

Border rivals Kansas and Missouri have met 269 times in men’s basketball throughout the years with the Jayhawks leading the all-time series 174-95.

The first game between the schools was contested in 1907. Mizzou claimed a 34-31 victory in Lawrence. The last game was played on Feb. 25, 2012. The Jayhawks prevailed, 87-86, in overtime in Allen Fieldhouse.

Obviously there have been some amazing, hotly contested games between the teams throughout history. Here’s a look at 10 of the finest games heading into the renewal of the rivalry at 2:15 p.m. Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence.

This list does not include a highly competitive, entertaining exhibition game for hurricane relief efforts on Oct. 22, 2017. KU won, 93-87, in the Sprint Center, now known as T-Mobile Center.

It should be noted there are many other KU-MU battles that could make such a list.

Feb. 26, 1972: Kansas 93, Missouri 80

Isaac “Bud” Stallworth, a 6-5 senior from Hartselle, Alabama, scored 50 points in KU’s 93-80 victory over the Tigers in Allen Fieldhouse. Stallworth hit 19 of 38 shots and 12 of 13 free throws. His performance came before a sellout crowd that included his mother, who was watching her son play in Allen for the first time. Members of KU’s 1952 title team were in town for a 20th-reunion celebration. Stallworth’s 50-point outing trails only Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 52 points against Northwestern on Dec. 3, 1956. It remains the most points a Jayhawk has scored in a conference game.

Feb. 20, 1994: Missouri 81, Kansas 74

The Tigers trailed KU for most of the game at Allen Fieldhouse, but MU point guard Melvin Booker wouldn’t let them lose. Booker, who finished with 32 points, scored 24 points in the second half and 17 in the final 8 1/2 minutes. The Tigers went on to finish the Big Eight season 14-0.

Feb. 4, 1997: Missouri 96, Kansas 94, 2OT

KU entered the game at the Hearnes Center with a 22-0 record and No. 1 ranking. MU took the Jayhawks to double overtime, and the game was tied with just seconds left. MU’s Corey Tate hit a 16-foot jumper with 5.6 seconds left to assure an MU victory.

March 5, 2000: Kansas 83, Missouri 82

KU won the game, one in which Mizzou’s Keyon Dooling executed one of the greatest dunks in Allen Fieldhouse history. Dooling was called for an offensive foul, one taken by Ashante Johnson during the first half. “It was incredible what he did. He basically jumped over me. I was not expecting him to jump when he did. It didn’t count, but it’ll still probably be on SportsCenter,” Johnson said after the game. Drew Gooden had 20 points, 13 rebounds and four assists for KU.

March 3, 2002: Kansas 95, Missouri 92

The Jayhawks clinched a 16-0 record in Big 12 play with a win over the Tigers in the Hearnes Center. Nick Collison scored 28 points and Kirk Hinrich added 25 for No. 1 KU.

March 10, 2003: Kansas 79, Missouri 74

Aaron Miles hit a 23-foot three-pointer and Hinrich followed with a three from 25 feet on ensuing possessions to turn a three-point deficit into a late three-point lead. The victory assured KU the Big 12 title. MU’s Ricky Paulding missed 15 of 20 shots on the day, but was 11 of 11 from the line.

March 7, 2004: Kansas 84, Missouri 82

David Padgett, who transferred to Louisville after one season in Lawrence, hit one of the most memorable shots in the KU-MU rivalry. In the last game at the Hearnes Center, Padgett cashed a baseline jumper in the final seconds that gave KU the win in the final game in the 32 year-old building.

Jan. 16, 2006: Missouri 89, Kansas 86, OT

Kansas led 77-74 with 14 seconds left, but Missouri’s Thomas Gardner hit a three-pointer to tie the game. KU forward Christian Moody was fouled while shooting with 0.4 seconds left. Moody missed a pair of free throw attempts. MU won the game in overtime, behind Gardner’s 41 points.

Feb. 4, 2012: Missouri 74, Kansas 71

The Jayhawks led by eight points following a baseline dunk by Tyshawn Taylor with 3:21 left. Missouri scored the game’s final 11 points to storm to victory. Marcus Denmon scored 29 points for the Tigers. Senior guard Denmon hit 10 of 16 shots, including 6-of-9 from three. He also had nine rebounds in 39 minutes. Thomas Robinson scored 25 points off 11-of-17 shooting, with 19 points the second half.

Feb. 25, 2012: Kansas 87, Missouri 86, OT

Robinson scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the last game played between the two teams. Robinson’s block of Phil Pressey’s driving layup with two ticks left assured overtime. Missouri led by as many as 19 points in the game. An emotional Self said this after the game about the series: “The next coach (at KU) may play. The next president, next AD may force me to play, who knows? Missouri has to market their future. We are their past. For it to end like this is pretty cool for us, especially the way we lost the first game (blowing eight-point lead). It’s a great rivalry. It’s two schools that fiercely don’t like each other hooking up and going at it. We saw the best they have to offer in Columbia. They saw the best we have to offer. It’s a shame it’s going to end, but it’s definitely going to end. Playing them once a year with nothing on the line doesn’t carry the same value as playing twice a year with a championship on the line.”

This story was originally published December 10, 2021 at 5:00 AM.

Gary Bedore

The Kansas City Star

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Gary Bedore covers KU basketball for The Kansas City Star. He has written about the Jayhawks since 1978 — during the Ted Owens, Larry Brown, Roy Williams and Bill Self eras. He has won the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year award and KPA writing awards.