Finally

[mrydel]

Gene Phillips Jersey #23 to be honored 1/28. Yay!!

[Stallion]

embarrassing it wasn't done 2 decades ago

3 time SWC Player of the Year -(freshman weren't eligible) . Lifetime average 26.1 ppg

[PonyLawExpress]

embarrassing it wasn't done 2 decades ago

For real! It's about time!

[Stallion]

probably would have averaged at least 30 ppg with a 3 point line

[mrydel]

What a thrill to watch him. Average would have been well over 30 if there had been a 3 point line.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

I wonder what he would have been able to do with a three point line!

[horsemanx]

Ira isn't going to be happy about this.

[SoCal_Pony]

embarrassing it wasn't done 2 decades ago

3 time SWC Player of the Year -(freshman weren't eligible) . Lifetime average 26.1 ppg

Not really, it was important that Gene stand in line behind Jon Kontract.

Trivia Question - What do the 2 most dominant athletes over the past 50 years at SMU have in common?

Answer - They both know what it’s like to be snubbed.

Congrats to a true SMU legend!!!! Gene Phillips!!!!

[Bergermeister]

Ira isn't going to be happy about this.

[The Falcon]

He was my favorite all-time SMU player. To look at him, you wouldn't think he was
a great player; sort of like Dirk. Not really awkward but not a great athlete.
My favorite was when he hung 50 points on Texas in their old Gregory Gymnasium.
I also can still see him hitting a corner jump shot to beat Arkansas - sort of like Nic's
shot that beat Cal-Berkeley in the NIT.

I would have put him in the Hall way back in the late 70s or early 80s. As many of you
have already said - he would have averaged over 30 points per game if there had been
a 3 pt line because the majority of his shots were from that distance.

[mr. pony]

http://smumustangs.com/news/2009/6/23/P ... ath=mbball

[The Falcon]

http://smumustangs.com/news/2009/6/23/Pony_Profile_Gene_Phillips_Sharpest_Shooter.aspx?path=mbball

Thanks for posting Mr.Pony. Great article. Brings back a lot of memories

[Stallion]

I always called dibs on #23 as a kid in honor of Jerry LeVias/Gene Phillips

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Gene Phillips To Be Honored On Jan. 28

DALLAS (SMU) — SMU will honor the jersey of all-time great Gene Phillips at Moody Coliseum during a halftime ceremony on January 28. Phillips wore number 23 during his basketball career from 1968-71.

Phillips' jersey will join those of Mustang legends Jim Krebs and Jon Koncak in being recognized by SMU.

Phillips was a three-time Southwest Conference Player of the Year and SWC first-team honoree. The 2011 SMU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee averaged 26.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game during his three-season career on the Hilltop.

He set the program record with 1,932 career points, which is still second. His 26.1 points per game for a career are also the SMU standard. He also holds the marks for the top two seasons at SMU in scoring and scoring average; totaling 737 points with a 28.3 average in 1970-71 and adding 685 points for a 28.5 average in 1969-70. He set the SMU and SWC record with 51 points at Texas on March 2, 1971, and scored 30 or more points 24 times.

He was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1971 NBA Draft and played two seasons with the ABA's Dallas Chaparrals.

The Jan. 28 game is a 1 p.m. matchup against American Athletic Conference foe East Carolina. Tickets are available at SMUMustangs.com/Tickets.

[Nacho]

So why exactly was Gene snubbed for all these years? He was definitely my all-time favorite bball player. An amazing shooter. The whole team. About time SMU.