SEASON OUTLOOK
Missouri's Mr. All-Everything player who enters the year as a candidate for the Wooden Award, given to the national player of the year ... Is a favorite for All-American and Big 12 player of the year awards, as well, and would become MU's first 1st team All-American since Melvin Booker in 1994 ... Is completely healthy from thumb injury suffered last season, and worked hard in the offseason to become stronger physically ... Was a camp counselor at the Nike All-American Camp in Indianapolis during the summer, and impressed all with his increased strength ... Led the Big 12 in scoring as a sophomore (21.1 ppg) which ranked 18th in the country last year ... Is the 5th-leading returning scorer in the nation for 2001-02 ... Was named to Playboy Magazine's 2001-02 Pre-Season All-America team, and visited Chicago in July for a photo shoot with the team members ... Was the first Tiger to achieve such mention since Derrick Chievous prior to the 1987-88 season ... As a lefty with a fluid shooting stroke and excellent range, draws on-court comparisons to former Tiger all-American Anthony Peeler ... Possesses arguably the best mid-range game in the collegiate ranks, which is what makes him so attractive to the next level ... His career scoring average of 18.2 ppg entering the season ranks as the 4th-best in MU history, trailing only Willie Smith (23.9 ppg), Derrick Chievous (19.8) and John Brown (19.7) ... Needs 128 points to join 1,000-point club.
2000-01 SEASON
- Honorable Mention All-American
- 1st Team All-Big 12
Turned in one of the finest individual seasons in recent MU history, and developed into one of the Big 12's - as well as the nation's - top players ... Averaged 21.1 points per game, and only a late-season injury (which forced him to miss seven games) kept him from being named Big 12 player of the year ... Was named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press, and set himself up for potential 1st-team honors next season as a junior ... Closed season with a brilliant 29-point, 8-rebound performance (all with a splint on his shooting hand) vs. #1 Duke in the NCAA Tournament, hitting 5-of-8 three pointers on the day ... His 3-pointer with 10:42 left in the game pulled MU to within one point, at 63-62, before Duke made a run to regain control of the game ... Had 12 points and added eight rebounds and a season-high five assists in NCAA opener vs. Georgia ... Became the first Tiger to average 20 points a game since Anthony Peeler averaged 23.4 per game in the 1991-92 season, and his 549 points was the 19th-most in MU single-season history ... Was on pace to become only the fifth Tiger to score 700 points in a season, but the seven games missed to the injury cost him ... Named 1st-team All-Big 12 by league coaches & writers and garnered most votes of anyone on the media ballot ... Also named 2nd-team All-American by CNNSI.com, and NABC 1st-Team All-District 12 ... Called college basketball's "Hardest player to guard" by the Sporting News, due to his complete offensive skills, which include a feathery-soft outside shot, an oustanding mid-range game (w/a deadly fall-away jumper), and the ability to drive and score or draw a foul and hit the free throws ... Won the Big 12 scoring title, and ranked in top 15 in league in 6 different categories ... Enters junior season as MU's career 3-pt. percentage leader (43.9%) and ranks 4th alltime with a career scoring average of 18.2 points per game ... Missed seven games (Feb. 7-26) after suffering what was thought to be a season-ending injury to his thumb in the final minutes of Feb. 5th game at OSU ... Tore ligaments in his left (shooting hand) thumb when he drove to the basket and fell to the floor after being fouled ... Had surgery Feb. 7th to repair ligaments, and made a speedy recovery to return March 4th in regular-season finale at Kansas ... Had a scintillating performance March 9th vs. Oklahoma in Big 12 Tournament, where he scored 31 pts. (his 5th 30-point game of the year) on 12-of-19 shooting (incl. 5-of-7 3-pt. FGs) ... Had 16 vs. Texas A&M in Big 12 1st round ... Shot 62.1% from the floor in 2 Kansas City games, including an eye-popping 69.2% from three-point range - all with a splint on his shooting hand ... Played at Kansas for 1st time since injury, but was held to 2 pts. (1-of-7 FGs) in 15 minutes off the bench ... That broke a string of 39 consecutive games scoring in double figures ... Played last 1:50 of the Oklahoma State game despite injury, and ended w/21 pts. & 7 rebs. ... Was named Big 12 player-of-the-week for 2nd time this year after 27-point, 11-reb. vs. #3 Kansas (Jan. 29), his 4th double-double of the season ... Sank 9-of-17 FGs vs. Kansas, and nailed 8-of-9 FTs to held seal win ... Had 23 pts. vs. Texas Tech, and made 9-of-15 FGs (4-of-6 3-pt. FGs), including game-winning 3-pointer w/33 seconds left ... Turned in 4th 30-point game of the year Jan. 13th vs. ISU, scoring 32 pts., which tied career high ... Sank 5-of-10 from three-point range ... Had 30-pt., 7-reb. outing vs. Nebraska (Jan. 6) ... Sank 8-of-8 FTs vs. Neb., including pair of game winners with 1:04 left to provide final margin ... Kept MU in the game early as he scored 22 of MU's first 33 points, while rest of team was struggling to find the mark ... Had 18 pts. at Indiana, despite an off shooting night (4-of-15 FGs), and hit 4-of-4 FTs in final minute to seal win ... Previously had a career-high 32-pt. outing at Iowa ... Had 24 of his pts. after halftime, including a perfect 10-of-10 FTs ... Was named national player of the weekby ESPN.com, FoxSports.com & CNN/SI.com, as well as the Big 12 Player of the week, after averaging 28.0 points and 6.5 rebounds MU wins over DePaul and SLU ... Had 31 pts. vs. DePaul, including 22 in scintillating 2nd half ... Connected on 7-of-9 FGs in 2nd half, and 10-of-18 overall on the game, including 4-of-8 3-pt. FGs ... Followed w/25 pts. vs. SLU, including pretty fall-away jumper with 1:33 left that gave MU the lead for good, at 71-70 ... Was named as one of 30 mid-season candidates for the prestigious Wooden Award.
1999-2000 SEASON
- Big 12 co-Freshman-of-the-Year
- Honorable Mention All-Big 12
Exciting rookie who was honored as Big 12 Freshman of the Year by league coaches ... Named honorable mention all-Big 12 by both media and coaches, and was selected to Big 12 all-freshman and all-bench teams by Associated Press ... Averaged 13.0 pts. and 7.0 rebs. in Big 12 Tournament ... Just missed a double-double against #15 Oklahoma in Kansas City, going for 13 pts. and 9 rebs. ... Hit a beautiful floater in the lane with 2:28 left in overtime to put MU up, 78-74, only to see OU post a rally to win ... On national television at Kansas, had another stellar effort, leading MU with a game-high 20 pts, and adding a career-high 4 assists in his third straight start ... Has now led MU in scoring 7 of the 13 games he's played in since returning to the lineup, and 9 times overall this season ... Has scored in double figures in an MU freshman-record 17 straight games, and 18-of-21 on the year ... The 17 straight double figure games is also the most by a Tiger since Paul O'Liney did so in 17 straight during the 1994-95 season ... Has averaged team-best 17.4 points on 55.0% FGs (77-of-140) in last 13 games since returning to action, after missing nine games due to NCAA ruling ... Is the first freshman ever to lead MU in scoring during a conference season, and his 18.2 ppg average in league play is the most by a Tiger since Paul O'Liney averaged 20.6 during the 1995 Big Eight season ... Had outstanding March 1st performance, with a team-high 23 pts. vs. Neb., on 7-of-11 FGs, including 4-of-7 3-pt. FGs, in his second straight start ... Smooth, unflappable lefty who has been named Big 12 Rookie of the Week twice since returning to active duty (Feb. 7 & Feb. 21) ... Made first career start at OU on Feb. 26th, and led MU w/13 pts. ... At KSU, scored 19 pts. in 25 minutes, including 4-of-7 3-pt. FGs and 7-of-8 FTs ... Prior to that, had a scintillating 31-pt. performance at Texas Tech, the 2nd-most pts. ever scored by an MU freshman ... Carried team to comeback win, while nailing 10-of-14 FGs, including 7-of-9 3-pt. FGs, while rest of team struggled to make just 29.4% of their shots (15-of-51) ... Scored 19 pts. in second half comeback at Tech, on 5-of-6 from 3-pt. land, and nailed back-to-back treys that gave MU the lead for good in final three minutes of game ... Followed with 13 pts. against OSU and had two late treys that pulled MU to within four points in the final minute ... Led team with 12 pts. vs. Texas, including scoring 7 of MU's last 8 points of the game ... Named Big 12 Rookie-of-the-Week on Feb. 7th after scoring 21 points in comeback win at Nebraska ... Scored 10 of team's 24 first half points, keeping MU within reach ... Had 15-point outing at Colorado, helping lead MU to big win ... Scored 16 points vs. Texas A&M in first game back, on 6-of-10 FGs ... In first 8 games back, MU bench averaged 30.0 points a game, while averaging just 9.8 ppg without him ... Had a big performance against Indiana, where he had 16 points.
IN HIGH SCHOOL
Named fourth-team Parade Magazine all-American, and Missouri player of the year, after averaging 27.8 points and 12.4 rebounds as a senior ... Led Pembroke Hill to the school's third-straight Class 2A state title ... Scored 24 points (including 3 three-point field goals) and added 7 rebounds in 2A state championship game in 1999 ... Dominated in 2A semifinal against Portageville, pouring in game high totals of 26 points and 17 rebounds ... Pembroke was an amazing 121-5 in his four years there ... Scored over 2,500 points in his high school playing career ... Also averaged 2.1 assists per game, made 66 three-point field goals and shot 58.5 percent from the floor as a senior ... Also named first-team all-state in 1999, Kansas City area player of the year by the Kansas City Star, and was a three-time first-team Kansas City all-metro pick ... Will be no stranger to the Hearnes Center, as his team played in the Class 2A Final Four each of his four years (finished 3rd in 1996, and 1st in 1997, `98, `99) ... Averaged 20.3 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game as a junior, 18.8 points and 7.5 rebounds as a sophomore and 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds as a freshman ... Was named MVP of St. Louis Invitational Tournament in summer of `98 ... Also lettered in track and field as a sophomore and junior.
PERSONAL
Full name - Kareem Lamar Rush ... Mother - Glenda Rush ... Intends to major in business administration at Missouri ... Chose MU over UCLA (where his brother, JaRon, played for two seasons) and Connecticut, among others ... High school coach - Rick Allison ... Born Oct. 30, 1980 in Kansas City ... Shares the same birthday as Coach Quin Snyder.
