Know Your KU History: “Downtown” Terry Brown

All the man did was shoot threes. Well, that might be something of an exaggeration, but you don’t get the nickname "Downtown" because you shoot a bunch of layups and mid-range jumpers. No, Terry Brown came to Kansas to be a threat from beyond the arc and he certainly made his mark on KU history, setting a few records along the way.

If you look at the KU record book for most three pointers made in a game, Brown’s name shows up four times in the first eight, joined only by Billy Thomas, Mario Chalmers, and Kirk Hinrich. Brown’s the only player in KU history to have multiple games with more than seven three pointers made. He did it four times.

Terry Brown set a record that will be difficult to reach when he connected on 11 three pointers in 17 attempts in a win against North Carolina State in early 1991. He made every single one of KU’s triples that day.

Terry Brown racked up one of his seven trey games in a game that few Kansas fans who witnessed it will ever forget. On December 9, 1989, Kansas rolled Kentucky 150-95 at Allen Fieldhouse. Brown contributed his team high seven three pointers, but for good measure, four of those went flying through the hoop in the last 5:56 of the game, when the outcome had already been decided. Those 12 points were after KU had already passed the 125-point mark.

In what was his final collegiate game, the 1991 NCAA title game against Duke, Brown made four three pointers to keep KU within striking distance. Kansas lost that game, but Brown finished with 16 points and was named to the All-Tournament team. His 111 three pointers made in 1990-91 is still a KU record, narrowly edging out sharpshooter Jeff Boschee.

Most people believe that Boschee is the best three-point shooter in KU history and it’s hard to argue that, but let’s take a look at Brown’s stats against Boschee’s for the sake of comparison. Since Brown only played two seasons at KU, we will compare three point stats two ways. The first will be taking only Boschee’s junior and senior year statistics as though he were a transfer as well. The second extrapolates Brown’s stats over a four-year stretch to mimic Boschee’s years at Kansas.

Brown v Boschee (Junior and Senior Seasons)

Brown v Boschee (Four years, Brown extrapolated)

Now, obviously Brown’s four year numbers are skewed because of that monster 1990-91 season while Boschee’s are slowed down by an extremely lackluster (for him) junior campaign where he shot 36% from three and only made 68 from beyond the arc. So, let’s do another comparison where we lower Brown’s average below his 100 over two years to approximate a few years of seasoning and adjustment to college basketball in his freshman and sophomore seasons. Let’s put that average at 85 threes made and keep the percentage the same for the sake of ease.

Brown v Boschee (Four years, Brown adjusted)

If you take out that dismal junior season from Boschee, the numbers get even closer, but it’s clear to see that Brown and Boschee are relative equals when it comes to three-point bombs.

"Downtown" Terry Brown’s name will always be evoked when KU is having a hot day from three-point land, and that’s a good thing for the Jayhawks. Let’s hope the announcers have to mention his name several times this season.