MBB:
ISU Basketball Great Barry Stevens Dies
Media Relations
AMES, Iowa - Barry Stevens, one of the greatest players in Iowa State men's basketball history, died suddenly Wednesday in Gary, Ind. He was 43. More details were not yet available. Stevens, who played at
ISU from 1982-85, led the Cyclones back to the NCAA Tournament in 1985, the first Iowa State NCAA appearance since 1944. He was a 1987
ISU graduate in Family and Consumer Sciences. Funeral arrangements were pending. A moment of silence will be observed in Stevens' honor at Wednesday night's Cyclone men's basketball game against Colorado.
"We are deeply saddened by this loss for the Iowa State University family," Iowa State athletics director Jamie Pollard said. "Barry made a special effort to maintain his ties with Iowa State two decades after he left Ames. We join thousands of Iowa State basketball fans whose thoughts and prayers are with his family."
Stevens was the key ingredient in Iowa State’s and Johnny Orr’s resurgence on the collegiate basketball scene. His fast-paced, smooth-shooting style was a perfect fit in Orr’s exciting up-tempo offense, reigniting the Cyclone basketball program and turning it into an annual NCAA Tournament contender during his career from 1982-85.
"Barry would want to be remembered first for the example he set as a Christian," said former Iowa State assistant coach Jim Hallihan. "He was always such a positive, upbeat person. You would get on the phone with him for a five-minute conversation and end up talking for 45 minutes. Yes, he was a great player. There were two young men that restarted the program, Ronnie Harris and Barry Stevens. Their efforts helped us sign the caliber of players that followed and put Iowa State on the national basketball map."
Stevens’ numbers and honors tell the story of his impact on the
ISU basketball program. He earned first-team all-Big Eight honors in his final two seasons, one of 13 Cyclone hoopsters in school history to earn first-team all-league kudos twice in a career. He ended his career in 1985 as Iowa State’s all-time leading scorer, becoming the first Cyclone to reach 2,000 points (2,190) in a career. Averaging 18.7 ppg in his four years at Iowa State, Stevens currently ranks No. 2 on the
ISU all-time scoring list behind Jeff Grayer, his teammate at Flint Northwestern High School. Stevens' wife Sarita also attended Iowa State. Stevens' sister Rhonda, is married to Grayer. Stevens is survived by his wife and three children, daughter Arriel and sons Darius and Garius.
The 6-5 swingman showed Cyclone fans a glimpse of his greatness as a sophomore in 1983, averaging 16.5 ppg. His 40-point performance to help
ISU upset No. 10 Missouri in Ames in 1983 was considered a watershed moment in Cyclone history. Stevens nailed a jumper from the top of the key at the buzzer to secure the Cyclone victory and was later named Sports Illustrated national player of the week for his efforts.
Stevens continued to improve as a junior in 1984, averaging 22.2 ppg en route to first-team all-Big Eight honors. Stevens led
ISU to a 16-13 mark, its first winning record since 1978, and to an NIT berth,
ISU’s first postseason appearance in 40 years. The gradual improvement of Stevens and the Cyclones came full circle in his senior year in 1985. Stevens, who averaged 21.7 ppg in his final campaign, paced
ISU to a then-school record 21 wins, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament,
ISU’s first NCAA berth since 1944.
ISU also advanced to the championship game of the Big Eight Tournament, as Stevens earned all-tournament honors.
Stevens’ quickness and uncanny long-range shooting ability enabled him to break virtually every school scoring record. Besides becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer, his 739 points broke the single-season record (it now ranks third) and he established the single-game scoring mark (now the second-best) by pouring in 47 points vs. Morgan State. He is the only Cyclone in school history to record two 40-point games.
After his brilliant career ended, Stevens was named
ISU Athlete of the Year and was selected in the second round of the 1985 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. After being one of the last players cut by the Nuggets, Stevens played in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) for a number of years. In 1993, Stevens was signed to a 10-day contract by the Golden State Warriors, becoming one of 13 Cyclones to don an NBA uniform. He later was a head coach in the CBA.
