LSU Gold

#23 Pete Maravich Season 2023-24

Position
Guard
Height
6'5
Weight
190
Class
Senior
Hometown
Aliquippa, Pa.
High School
Edward Military Institute

Jan. 5, 2013, marks the 25th anniversary of the death of the great Pete Maravich, one of the most remarkable athletes in the history of all of sports. In an era when players were only eligible for three years – and there was no three-point shot – Pistol Pete became, and remains, the highest scoring player in the history of college basketball. No one has ever challenged his records and there is no reason to believe anyone ever will. After leaving LSU, he went on to become a five-time NBA All-Star and he is a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. In 1988, LSU’s Assembly Center was named in his honor. There has never been another like the great “Pistol” Pete Maravich, and today we remember him fondly.

ALL-CENTURY TEAM MEMBER

Full Name: Peter Press Maravich
Born: 6/22/47 in Aliquippa, Pa
Died: 1/5/88
High School: Daniel (Clemson, S.C. from 1961-63); Needham Broughton (Raleigh, N.C. from 1963-65); Edwards Military Institute (Salemburg, N.C. from 1965-66)
College: LSU (freshman team in 1966-67; Three-year Varsity letterwinner from 1967-1970)

Pete Maravich was billed as the one who would put Louisiana basketball on the map from the first day he joined his father Press at LSU. People weren’t disappointed. His freshman year they packed the old John M. Parker Agricultural Center (known as the “Cow Palace”) to watch the freshman team and then left quickly as the varsity Tigers won just three games in 1967.

By Pete’s senior year, the Tigers would improve to 20-8 and wind up in New York City at the National Invitation Tournament, a fitting place for the big-city Maravich Show to close its LSU run.

To those who never saw him play live, but only watched what few games were on television or listened on radio, the Maravich story at LSU may seem larger than life. But his skills were perfected through hours and hours of repetitious drills at all hours of the day and night and in all kinds of settings.

Maravich ended up receiving the richest contract ever offered a college player at the time to sign with the Atlanta Hawks ($1.9 million), but during his 10-year career with the Hawks, the New Orleans and Utah Jazz and the Boston Celtics, his dream of a championship wasn’t fulfilled.

Maravich’s Records and Highlights:

  • All-Time NCAA Career Scoring Leader with 3,667 points, an average of 44.2 points for 83 games.
  • Ranks first, fourth and fifth for most points in a single season in NCAA history. Averaged 44.5 points in 1970, 44.2 points in 1969 and 43.8 points in 1968.
  • Scored 69 points vs. Alabama, Feb. 7, 1970.
  • Led LSU to the NIT Final Four in 1970, its first postseason appearance in 16 years.
  • Unanimous first-team All-American in 1968, 1969, 1970.
  • Naismith Award winner in 1970.
  • Member of the National Basketball Association Hall of Fame after 10-year career with Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans and Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics.
  • Named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players in 1997.

LSU Career Highlights:
Three-year letter winner (1967-70)
The Sporting News College Player of the Year (1970)
Naismith Award Winner (1970)
The Sporting News All-America First Team (1968, 1969, 1970)
Three-time AP and UPI First-Team All-America (1968, 1969, 1970)
Holds NCAA career record for most points (3,667, 44.2 ppg, three-year career) in 83 games
Holds NCAA career record for highest points per game average (44.2 ppg)
Holds NCAA record for most field goals made (1,387) and attempted (3,166)
Holds NCAA record for most free throws made (893) and attempted (1,152)
Holds NCAA record for most games scoring at least 50 points (28)
Holds NCAA single-season record for most points (1,381) and highest per game average (44.5 ppg) in 1970
Ranks 1st, 4th and 5th for most points in a single season in NCAA history, averaging 44.5 points in 1970, 44.2 points in 1969 and 43.8 points in 1968.
Holds NCAA single-season record for most field goals made (522) and attempted (1,168) in 1970
Holds NCAA single-season record for most games scoring at least 50 points (10) in 1970
Holds NCAA single-game record for most free throws made (30 of 31) against Oregon State on Dec. 22, 1969
Led the NCAA Division I in scoring with 43.8 ppg (1968); 44.2 (1969) and 44.5 ppg (1970)
The 44.5 ppg average ranks best in NCAA history; 44.2 ppg (fourth); 43.8 ppg (fifth)
Averaged 43.6 ppg on the LSU freshman team (1967)
Scored a career-high 69 points vs. Alabama (Feb. 7, 1970); 66 vs. Tulane (Feb. 10, 1969); 64 vs. Kentucky (Feb. 21, 1970); 61 vs. Vanderbilt (Dec. 11, 1969);
Holds LSU records for most field goals in a game (26) against Vanderbilt on Jan. 29, 1969 and attempted (57) against Vanderbilt
All-Southeastern Conference (1968, 1969, 1970)
Led LSU to the NIT Final Four in 1970, its first post-season appearance in 16 years
In 1988, Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer signed legislation changing the official name of LSU’s home court to the Maravich Assembly Center
In 1970, Maravich led LSU to a 20-8 record and a third place finish in the NIT
All-Time NCAA Career Scoring Leader with 3,667 points, an average of 44.2 points for 83 games.

Professional Basketball Career | Full Bio from NBA.com:
Drafted: Atlanta Hawks, 1970 (third overall)
Transactions: Traded to New Orleans Jazz, 5/3/74; Jazz move to Utah, 1979; Waived by Utah, 1/17/80; Signed with Boston, 1/22/80
NBA Atlanta Hawks (1970-74)
NBA New Orleans Jazz (1974-79)
NBA Utah Jazz (1979-80)
NBA Boston Celtics (1979-80)

Pro Playing Highlights:
NBA All-Rookie Team (1971)
All-NBA First Team (1976, 1977)
All-NBA Second Team (1973, 1978)
Five-time NBA All-Star (1973, 1974, 1977-1979)
Scored 15,948 points (24.2 ppg) in 658 games
Led the NBA in scoring (31.1 ppg) in 1977, his career best
Scored a career-high 68 points (12th best in history) against the New York Knicks on Feb. 25, 1977
Led the NBA in most field goals attempted in 1974 (1,791) and 1977 (2,047)
Shares NBA single-game record for most free throws made in one quarter (14) on Nov. 28, 1973 against Buffalo and most free throws attempted in one quarter (16) on Jan. 2, 1973 against Chicago
Member of the National Basketball Association Hall of Fame after 10-year career with Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans and Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics (1987)
NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team (1996)

Pete Maravich was billed as the one who would put Louisiana basketball on the map from the first day he joined his father Press at LSU. People weren’t disappointed. His freshman year they packed the old John M. Parker Agricultural Center (known as the “Cow Palace”) to watch the freshman team and then left quickly as the varsity Tigers won just three games in 1967. By Pete’s senior year, the Tigers would improve to 20-8 and wind up in New York City at the National Invitation Tournament, a fitting place for the big-city Maravich Show to close its LSU run.

To those who never saw him play live, but only watched what few games were on television or listened on radio, the Maravich story at LSU may seem larger than life. But his skills were perfected through hours and hours of repetitious drills at all hours of the day and night and in all kinds of settings.

Maravich ended up receiving the richest contract ever offered a college player at the time to sign with the Atlanta Hawks ($1.9 million), but during his 10-year career with the Hawks, the New Orleans and Utah Jazz and the Boston Celtics, his dream of a championship wasn’t fulfilled. Pete was finding that life wasn’t very fulfilling either. There were hard times when he went in search of something to make his life complete. He had money, he had fame. He didn’t have real happiness. But in 1982, Pistol Pete accepted Jesus Christ.

He began enjoying life, enjoying times with his wife and children. Television executives were discovering his knowledge of the game again as a color commentator and best of all for LSU fans, a rift that grew between star and college had diminished and was forgotten.

But the Pistol’s life suddenly ended on Jan. 5, 1988, just over a month after appearing at the Assembly Center for an emotional ceremony to formally present a portrait of Pete and his father to him.

Other honors

Member of LSWA Top 25 Louisiana Athletes of the Century,1999
Member First-Team LABC All Louisiana Team of the Century, 1999
Member Sports Magazine’s Top 10 Men’s College Players of the Century, 1999
Member of National Basketball Association Hall of Fame
Honored as 2003 “Legend” at the SEC Basketball Tournament

MARAVICH’S LSU VARSITY CAREER STATISTICS

Year
G
FG
FGA
PCT.
FT
FTA
PCT.
REB
AVG.
PF-D
AST.
PTS-AVG.
1967-68
26
432
1,022
.422
274
338
.810
195
7.5
85-5
105
1,138-43.8
1968-69
26
433
976
.444
282
378
.746
169
6.5
77-2
128
1,148-44.2
1969-70
31
522
1,168
.447
337
436
.773
164
5.3
89-0
192
1,381-44.5
TOTALS
83
1387
3,166
.438
893
1,152
.775
528
6.4
251-7
425
3,667-44.2

LSU Game-by-Game Stats

1966-67+ (17-1, 6-1 SEC) – Freshman Team
Opponent (Score)
FG
FGA
Pct.
FT
FTA
PCT.
REB.
ASST.
FOUL
TP
Attend.
Southeastern (W, 119-70)
19
41
.463
12
15
.800
14
11
3
50
 
Baton Rouge Hawks (W, 83-79)
9
31
.290
16
20
.800
22
8
2
34
 
at Loyola (W, 74-72)
13
32
.406
8
12
.667
8
3
3
34
 
Tulane (W, 96-78)
15
38
.395
6
10
.600
12
9
2
36
 
at Mississippi St. (W, 113-80)
13
30
.433
9
10
.900
9
9
4
35
 
at Ole Miss (W, 97-76)
15
31
.484
13
16
.813
8
4
1
43
 
at Auburn (W, 88-73)
17
28
.607
10
12
.833
6
5
3
44
 
Bordens (W, 98-68)
17
30
.567
6
9
.667
11
18
1
40
 
Southern Miss (W, 97-82)
Did not play
 
at Tulane (W, 69-68 OT)
13
39
.333
5
7
.714
8
6
4
31
 
Baton Rouge Hawks (W, 111-84)
26
51
.510
14
16
.875
9
9
3
66
 
Loyola (W, 105-59)
20
36
.556
10
10
1.000
14
4
3
50
 
St. Mark’s (W, 136-89)
15
38
.395
20
21
.952
11
7
3
50
 
Auburn (W, 108-71)
21
41
.512
15
18
.833
7
4
4
57
 
at Southern Miss (W, 94-86)
15
29
.517
12
12
1.000
11
4
2
42
 
Mississippi St. (W, 106-71)
19
32
.504
15
17
.882
5
8
2
53
 
Ole Miss (W, 110-98)
14
41
.341
17
21
.810
15
9
4
45
 
at Tennessee (L, 75-74)
12
36
.333
7
9
.778
6
6
4
31
 
SEASON TOTALS
273
604
.452
195
234
.833
176
124
48
741
 
SEC TOTALS
111
239
.464
86
103
.835
56
45
22
308
 

43.6 ppg.
+ freshman team; statistics do not count toward NCAA totals

 

1967-68 (14-12, 8-10 SEC)
Opponent (Score)
FG
FGA
Pct.
FT
FTA
PCT.
REB.
ASST.
FOUL
TP
Attend.
Tampa (W, 97-81)
20
50
.400
8
9
.889
16
4
1
48
7,500
at Texas (W, 87-74)
15
34
.441
12
16
.750
5
5
2
42
6,000
Loyola (W, 90-56)
22
43
.512
7
11
.636
9
4
2
51
8,000
at Wisconsin* (L, 96-94)
16
40
.400
10
13
.769
9
6
5
42
10,410
vs. Florida St.* (L, 130-100)
17
41
.415
8
10
.800
5
9
3
42
11,138
Ole Miss (W, 81-68)
17
34
.500
12
13
.923
11
3
4
46
8,700
Mississippi St. (W, 111-87)
22
40
.550
14
16
.875
8
3
2
58
8,700
Alabama (W, 81-70)
10
30
.333
10
11
.909
6
5
3
30
10,000
Auburn (W, 76-72)
20
38
.526
15
17
.882
9
1
2
55
9,000
at Florida (L, 97-90)
9
22
.409
14
17
.824
10
8
5
32
7,000
at Georgia (W, 79-76)
14
37
.378
14
17
.824
11
5
3
42
14,000
at Tulane (W, 100-91)
20
42
.476
12
15
.800
5
8
4
52
5,500
Clemson (W, 104-81)
14
29
.483
5
6
.833
6
2
5
33
8,700
Kentucky (L, 121-95)
19
51
.373
14
17
.824
11
2
3
52
5,500
Vanderbilt (L, 99-91)
22
57
.386
10
15
.667
6
3
4
54
9,000
at Kentucky (L, 109-96)
16
38
.421
12
15
.800
8
3
4
44
11,700
Tennessee (L, 87-67)
9
34
.265
3
3
1.000
6
0
5
21
8,330
at Auburn (L, 74-69)
18
47
.383
13
13
1.000
6
1
1
49
2,602
Florida (W, 93-92 OT)
17
48
.354
13
15
.867
7
3
4
47
8,000
Georgia (L, 78-73)
20
47
.426
11
18
.611
4
2
4
51
8,300
at Alabama (W, 99-89)
24
52
.462
11
13
.846
12
3
2
59
15,014
at Mississippi St. (W, 94-83)
13
38
.342
8
12
.667
7
7
4
34
5,500
Tulane (W, 99-92)
21
47
.447
13
15
.867
5
0
3
55
8,800
at Ole Miss (L, 87-85)
13
26
.500
14
16
.875
4
8
2
40
8,500
at Tennessee (L, 74-71)
7
18
.389
3
4
.750
3
1
5
17
13,000
at Vanderbilt (L, 115-86)
17
39
.436
8
11
.727
6
9
3
42
11,094
SEASON TOTALS
432
1,022
.422
274
338
.810
195
105
85
1,138
231,188
SEC TOTALS
274
696
.394
199
243
.819
135
67
60
773
165,140

43.8 ppg.
* Milwaukee Classic

1968-69 (13-13, 7-11 SEC)
Opponent (Score)
FG
FGA
Pct.
FT
FTA
PCT.
REB.
ASST.
FOUL
TP
Attend.
at Loyola (W, 109-82)
22
34
.647
8
9
.889
7
11
1
52
6,600
at Clemson (W, 86-85)
10
32
.313
18
22
.818
4
4
3
38
9,800
Tulane (L, 101-99 2OT)
20
48
.417
15
20
.750
7
2
4
55
9,067
Florida (W, 93-89 OT)
17
32
.531
11
15
.733
8
5
3
45
9,089
Georgia (W, 98-89)
18
33
.545
11
16
.688
10
5
3
47
8,940
vs. Wyoming ** (W, 84-78)
14
34
.412
17
24
.708
6
2
2
45
5,500
vs. Oklahoma City ** (W, 101-85)
19
36
.528
2
5
.400
8
7
2
40
8,800
vs. Duquesne ** (W, 94-91)
18
36
.500
17
21
.810
2
6
3
53
9,000
at Alabama (L, 85-82)
19
49
.388
4
4
1.000
10
5
4
42
10,100
at Vanderbilt (L, 94-92)
15
30
.500
8
13
.615
4
3
3
38
11,100
at Auburn (L, 90-71)
16
41
.390
14
18
.778
5
5
3
46
11,200
Kentucky (L, 108-96)
20
48
.417
12
14
.857
11
2
3
52
7,475
Tennessee (L, 81-68)
8
18
.444
5
8
.625
4
2
5
21
9,731
Pittsburgh (W, 120-79)
13
34
.382
14
18
.778
8
11
3
40
8,269
Ole Miss (L, 84-81 OT)
11
33
.333
9
13
.692
11
5
4
31
10,137
Mississippi St. (W, 95-71)
14
32
.438
5
6
.833
11
10
3
33
7,637
Alabama (W, 81-75)
15
30
.500
8
12
.667
5
6
1
38
9,309
at Tulane (W, 110-94)
25
51
.490
16
20
.800
10
1
4
66
5,000
at Florida (L, 95-79)
14
41
.341
22
27
.815
6
2
2
50
5,646
Auburn (W, 93-81)
20
44
.455
14
15
.933
3
5
3
54
8,261
Vanderbilt (L, 85-83)
14
33
.424
7
8
.875
8
8
3
35
9,485
at Kentucky (L, 103-89)
21
53
.396
3
7
.429
5
2
4
45
11,500
at Tennessee (L, 87-63)
8
18
.444
4
8
.500
3
7
3
20
13,300
at Ole Miss (L, 78-76)
21
39
.538
7
11
.636
3
1
2
49
7,374
at Mississippi St. (W, 99-89)
20
49
.408
15
19
.789
4
5
2
55
5,100
at Georgia (W, 90-80 2OT)
21
48
.438
16
25
.640
6
4
4
58
10.458
SEASON TOTALS
433
976
.444
282
378
.746
169
128
77
1,148
227,878
SEC TOTALS
292
671
.435
175
239
.732
117
82
55
759
165,842

44.2 ppg.
** All-College Tournament

1969-70 (22-10, 13-5 SEC)
Opponent (Score)
FG
FGA
Pct.
FT
FTA
PCT.
REB.
ASST.
FOUL
TP
Attend.
Oregon St. (W, 94-72)
14
32
.438
15
19
.789
5
7
1
43
10,286
Loyola (W, 100-87)
18
36
.500
9
10
.900
6
6
4
45
8,524
Vanderbilt (W, 109-86)
26
54
.481
9
10
.900
10
5
1
61
10,648
at Tulane (W, 97-91)
17
42
.405
12
19
.632
4
5
3
46
5,200
Southern Cal (L, 101-98)
18
43
.419
14
16
.875
6
4
3
50
11,005
at Clemson (W, 111-103)
22
30
.733
5
8
.625
6
9
3
49
7,232
at Oregon St. (W, 76-68)
8
23
.349
30
31
.968
1
8
3
46
10,388
at UCLA (L, 133-84)
14
42
.333
10
12
.833
4
7
4
38
12,961
vs. St. John’s ^ (W, 80-70)
20
44
.455
13
16
.813
8
1
2
53
7,433
vs. Yale ^ (L, 97-94)
13
28
.464
8
11
.727
5
8
4
34
7,433
Alabama (W, 90-83)
22
42
.524
11
18
.611
7
2
4
55
9,647
Auburn (L, 79-70)
18
46
.391
8
11
.727
6
2
4
44
10,486
at Kentucky (L, 109-96)
21
44
.477
13
15
.867
5
4
4
55
11,500
Tennessee (W, 71-59)
12
23
.522
5
7
.714
4
9
3
29
8,658
Ole Miss (W, 109-86)
21
46
.457
11
15
.733
5
12
3
53
11,856
Mississippi St. (W, 109-91)
21
40
.525
7
9
.778
3
6
4
49
8,886
at Florida (W, 97-75)
20
38
.526
12
16
.750
9
7
1
52
7,300
at Alabama (L, 106-104)
26
57
.456
17
21
.810
5
4
3
69
15,043
Tulane (W, 127-114)
18
45
.400
13
15
.867
4
6
3
49
8,174
Florida (W, 94-85)
16
35
.457
6
10
.600
6
8
2
38
8,483
at Vanderbilt (W, 99-89)
14
46
.304
10
13
.769
5
3
2
38
15,581
at Auburn (W, 70-64)
18
46
.391
10
15
.667
8
4
4
46
12,268
Georgia (W, 88-86)
17
34
.500
3
6
.500
2
6
3
37
10,224
Kentucky (L, 121-105)
23
42
.548
18
22
.818
4
7
4
64
8,950
at Tennessee (L, 88-87)
10
24
.417
10
13
.769
7
6
2
30
14,000
at Ole Miss (W, 103-90)
13
43
.302
9
14
.643
9
4
3
35
9,132
at Mississippi St. (W, 97-87)
22
44
.500
11
13
.846
2
8
4
55
5,200
at Georgia (W, 99-88)
16
37
.432
9
10
.900
3
11
2
41
15,000
vs. Georgetown # (W, 83-82)
6
16
.375
8
12
.667
6
5
2
20
16,021
vs. Oklahoma # (W, 97-94)
14
33
.424
9
13
.692
8
9
1
37
19,500
vs. Marquette # (L, 101-79)
4
13
.308
12
16
.750
1
9
3
20
19,500
vs. Army # (L, 75-68)
Did not play
 
SEASON TOTALS
522
1,168
.447
337
436
.773
164
192
89
1,381
336,519
SEC TOTALS
336
741
.453
179
238
.752
97
108
53
851
192,862

46.6 ppg.
^ Rainbow Classic
# 1970 National Invitation Tournament (Madison Square Garden, New York City)

 

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