(I had no recollection of both Crudup and Booker being in trouble with the law in the offseason...and I’m not sure if “municipal ordinance violation” could be any more vague.)
November 16, 1993: Crudup’s Charges Reduced
By SCOTT CAINNovember 23, 1993: Stewart’s Outlook Upbeat
Tribune Sports Editor
Jevon Crudup's charges have been reduced, but his suspension has not.
Crudup, a senior forward on the Missouri basketball team, was supposed to be tried tomorrow in Boone County Court on charges of driving while intoxicated and failure to drive on the right side of the road.
But those charges were reduced to driving with a blood-alcohol content above .10, and the trial was postponed until Dec. 8 so Crudup can attend his grandmother's funeral tomorrow.
DWI is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by 30 days to six months in jail. The new charge is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 15 days in jail and/or a $300 fine.
Barring an earlier resolution through plea bargain, Crudup will miss two exhibitions and four regular-season games. That includes the Dec. 2 ESPN game at Arkansas.
By DAVID HOLZMANNovember 26, 1993: MU Disarms Red Army
of the Tribune's staff
Thanksgiving has come early for Missouri basketball coach Norm Stewart. Practice has been enjoyable. “We've had now at least four that I would put in the super category, where you just go home and are glad you're coaching,” Stewart said yesterday. The Tigers' one meeting with outside competition was a 104-61 victory over the touring USA Verich Reps.
“We thought that the players should really be encouraged by their performance,” Stewart said. “You can't go by comparing scores, but that team left here, went down and won at Wake Forest. Then they went back and played Virginia a good ballgame at Virginia.”
The Tigers will have guests again tonight, playing the Russian Red Army in a 7 p.m. exhibition at the Hearnes Center. It's the last outing before the season opener Saturday night against Central Missouri State.
Melvin Booker probably will rejoin the starting five tonight after sitting out the Verich game as the final installment of punishment for a municipal ordinance violation in August.
Julian Winfield, Lamont Frazier, Kelly Thames and Chris Heller are the other likely starters, Stewart said.
While it's been so far, so good and the Tigers appear deeper than they've been since 1989-90, Stewart sounded one cautionary note yesterday. “We'll have see what happens when the excrement hits the flying, swirling blades,” he said.
By DAVID HOLZMAN
of the Tribune's staff
Preparedness was not at a high level, but Missouri easily turned back the Russian Red Army last night at the Hearnes Center in the last checkpoint before the regular season.
The Red Army showed little offense, and Missouri was never threatened in an 81-42 victory.
“When you really look at the stats, it wasn't bad,” Missouri coach Norm Stewart said. “But yet it just didn't seem like we were in the ballgame.
“Maybe we're now up to that point where we're waiting for the opener. But we've got some work to do between now and the opener.”
Missouri plays for real Saturday night against Central Missouri State at the Hearnes Center.
Melvin Booker, last year's leading scorer, returned to the lineup last night, but things were not as smooth as last week's exhibition. The Tigers drilled the USA Verich Reps 104-61 in that one.
“We didn't seem to be as attentive to the game as we were the other one,” Stewart said. “We were a little bit more excited about that game.”
Mark Atkins' four three-pointers were the flash point of Missouri's offense. The senior guard's 14 points led all scorers.
The Russians did not score for more than five minutes while Missouri built a 12-0 lead. They once got to within nine for a few seconds.
The Tigers made 10 steals, led by Julian Winfield's four. Freshman Jason Sutherland was not credited with any, but he was among the leaders in floor burns.
“I got one strawberry on my hip, but that's all part of the game,” Winfield said. “I think me and Jason had a contest to see who can get the most.”
Winfield was one Tiger who played better last night than against Verich. “Tonight I think I was a little bit more aggressive than I was the past game,” he said. He and Booker started, along with Lamont Frazier, Chris Heller and Kelly Thames.
“It was nice to have Melvin out there,” Winfield said.
On defense, the Red Army provided more resistance than the Reps. “These guys pushed a little more inside than Verich did,” center Chris Heller said. “There was a lot of banging, a lot of holding and stuff down low.”
It wasn't low when Jed Frost was intentionally fouled by Alex Zolotukhin. The Russian hit Frost from behind with an elbow to the head. Frost turned and walked toward him, but an official quickly intervened. It did prompt one of the best lines from the Antlers in years. “Better Jed than Red!” they chanted.
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