| Bevo Francis scored 116 points in a game versus Ashland (KY) Junior College on January 9, 1953. Bevo connected on 47 field goals and 22 free throws. Rio Grande won the game, 150-85.
Francis nearly rewrote the NCAA and NAIA record books in the process. Among his outstanding laurels are the NCAA top single season scoring average (48.3), best two-year average (47.1) and points in a single game (113). His NAIA marks are similar-- single season scoring average (50.1) and points in a game (116). The NAIA recognizes all games that Rio Grande played in determining Francis’ records, while the NCAA only acknowledges games with degree-granting institutions.
In all, Francis scored 3,272 points in two seasons at Rio Grande in leading the Redmen to an astounding 60-7 overall mark.
During his final year at the school, Rio Grande played and beat such powerhouse teams as Arizona State, Buffalo State, Creighton University, Wake Forest and Providence. They packed crowds into gyms in Nebraska, Missouri, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Massachusetts – and even Madison Square Garden in New York City. |
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