by Nico Fiscella
This past Throwback Thursday article highlighted one of Maravich’s best games during his NBA career. Although today is the anniversary of his 51 point performance against the Phoenix Suns, it’s time to travel even farther back in his basketball career.
March Madness is right around the corner. That is why this is the best time to discuss Maravich’s historic run with LSU.
Maravich spent three years with LSU before going to the NBA. His time at LSU will forever be remembered in NCAA history. Maravich had a career record of 49-35 with LSU, including a 22-10 season his final year.
Maravich’s career averages include 44 points per game. He also had six rebounds and five assists a night. Maravich was a one-man show with LSU, taking nearly 40 shots a night while also attempting 14 free throws per game.
Ironically, Maravich’s three seasons all look the same statistically. His highest points per game season topped out at 44.5 while his lowest was 43.8. His shooting was below average, but he had a conistent percentage throughout his time as an LSU Tiger. His rebounds and assists numbers always stayed between four and six.
While he was great on the court, his collegiate accolades speak for themselves.
Maravich brought home the hardware every year. He was an All-American, All-SEC first team, and brought home three consecutive SEC Player of the Year awards.
In his final season at LSU, Pistol Pete brought home an award he had not yet achieved: AP Player of the Year.
After college, Maravich spent eleven years in the NBA with the Hawks, Jazz, and Celtics. The late Hall-Of-Famer carried his elite scoring to the next level, as the five-time-all-star was a one time scoring champ. He retired with a career average of 24 points per game.
When the topic of March Madness is mentioned, Maravich always be a name that needs to be included when talking about the best college basketball players of all time.
Featured image courtesy Saturday Down South