Paige vs Pistol Pete

[Fairfield Fan]

If there had been a college 3 point shot Pistol Pete would have averaged about 57 points per game.

And consider what that his 45% field goal percentage included many 3-point field goals, which weren't broken out. I'm guessing that his 3-point percentage was very high, which is all the more miraculous because teams were hanging all over him.

Yes, he did shoot a lot, but he also scored a lot. 44 ppg. And with teams slowing it down constantly. Can you imagine a 44 ppg player today? He/She would be triple-teamed. I don't think it would happen in CBB anymore. And consider that at that time, the very best players almost all remained for four years. So Pistol Pete and LSU were playing against what were almost NBA-quality teams. Not like today, when at most a pro prospect stays perhaps two years at the very most.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Per game stats for his three years at LSU. Geno wants Paige to shoot more but I doubt he wants her putting up 40 per game..........although she might average 50 points.

Maravich took almost 40 per game, and made 42-44%. Strangely, his FT % wasn't as high as you might expect, and his assist numbers were probably OK when you consider how few shots were left for the rest of the team.........

Per Game

Season	School	Conf	G	GS	MP	FG	FGA	FG%	FT	FTA	FT%	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF	PTS		SOS
1967-68	LSU	SEC	26			16.6	39.3	.423	10.5	13.0	.811	7.5	4.0				3.3	43.8		4.28
1968-69	LSU	SEC	26			16.7	37.5	.444	10.8	14.5	.746	6.5	4.9				3.0	44.2		2.21
1969-70	LSU	SEC	31			16.8	37.7	.447	10.9	14.1	.773	5.3	6.2				2.9	44.5		1.65

Yep, his senior year, he dishes out more than 6 assists per game while STILL scoring over 44 ppg!!! And he's getting to the line 14X per game? So he was essentially being mugged every time he tried to shoot! They were all over him! Truly amazing!!

 

[Steve UConn72]

Per game stats for his three years at LSU. Geno wants Paige to shoot more but I doubt he wants her putting up 40 per game..........although she might average 50 points.

Maravich took almost 40 per game, and made 42-44%. Strangely, his FT % wasn't as high as you might expect, and his assist numbers were probably OK when you consider how few shots were left for the rest of the team.........

Per Game

Season	School	Conf	G	GS	MP	FG	FGA	FG%	FT	FTA	FT%	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PF	PTS		SOS
1967-68	LSU	SEC	26			16.6	39.3	.423	10.5	13.0	.811	7.5	4.0				3.3	43.8		4.28
1968-69	LSU	SEC	26			16.7	37.5	.444	10.8	14.5	.746	6.5	4.9				3.0	44.2		2.21
1969-70	LSU	SEC	31			16.8	37.7	.447	10.9	14.1	.773	5.3	6.2				2.9	44.5		1.65

Interesting note: Pete's freshman year (played on the freshman team - no 4 year eligibility then), the varsity was 3-23 in Press Maravich's first season as coach. The next three years (Pete's varsity career) they went 14-12, 13-13 and 22-10 (2nd in the SEC). They went to the NIT (which stood for "Not in Tournament" back then, and maybe still does) and finished 4th his senior year.

 

[CajunHusky]

Interesting note: Pete's freshman year (played on the freshman team - no 4 year eligibility then), the varsity was 3-23 in Press Maravich's first season as coach. The next three years (Pete's varsity career) they went 14-12, 13-13 and 22-10 (2nd in the SEC). They went to the NIT (which stood for "Not in Tournament" back then, and maybe still does) and finished 4th his senior year.

In the Pistol's era the NIT was much more prestigious than it is today. It was a 16 team tournament and the NCAA was a 16 team tournament. Invitations to the NIT were merit based while the NCAA were limited to conference champions and a smaller number of at-large bids.

Even as late as 1970 teams were known to turn down the NCAA to play in the NIT.

P.S. Pete's stats on the JV - 17 games 10.4rb/g 7.3asists/g pts 741-43.6p/g on 45.2%. The JV would play their games as the first game of a doubleheader frequently outdrawing the varsity teams playing the second game.

 

[Steve UConn72]

In the Pistol's era the NIT was much more prestigious than it is today. It was a 16 team tournament and the NCAA was a 16 team tournament. Invitations to the NIT were merit based while the NCAA were limited to conference champions and a smaller number of at-large bids.

Even as late as 1970 teams were known to turn down the NCAA to play in the NIT.

P.S. Pete's stats on the JV - 17 games 10.4rb/g 7.3asists/g pts 741-43.6p/g on 45.2%. The JV would play their games as the first game of a doubleheader frequently outdrawing the varsity teams playing the second game.

You're right. I should have said "some people referred to it as 'Not in Tournament.' " Only one representative from each conference went to the NCAA tournament, and a few "at large/independents." A lot of good teams, especially from the ACC and Pac10 (or was it 8 back then?), ended up in the NIT, which, I think, was held completely at Madison Square Garden.

I think Julius Erving's freshman team outdrew the UMass varsity, too. A good number of the crowd would leave after the first game.

 

[Cecil9]

Watched the Paige highlights in the DePaul game. She reminds me of Pistol Pete. Pete was a scoring machine but he was an amazing passer. I was privileged to see Pete play in a LSU MSST game. He scored over 50 points but what I remember most were those incredible passes he made. Watching the Paige highlights she scored a lot of points but what impressed me were those passes. To me she is Pistol Paige!

If Larry Bird had a daughter . . .