McKowen Captures State Scoring Title: Iowa Time Machine

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On February 26, 2003, Wapsie Valley’s Brooks McKowen captured the boy’s Iowa high school career scoring record. An all-time Iowa basketball great, McKowen stood out on the hardwood as a player at Wapsi Valley and the University of Northern Iowa.

By late February of his senior season, McKown stood poised to break the all-time Iowa boy’s basketball career scoring record of 2,650 set by Tri-Center’s (Neola) Cary Cochran in 1997. McKowen needed ten points against North Fayette to move into first place on the all-time list, scoring eight in the first quarter to come within two. Fouled with 4.3 seconds to go before the half, McKowen missed the first free three before making the second to go into the half tied.

The record didn’t stand for long, however, and just a couple of minutes into the second half, a putback of a teammate’s shot put McKowen atop the Iowa career scoring list. McKowen went on to finish his career with 2,831, a record still standing today. 

Named Iowa’s ‘Mr. Basketball’ for 2003, after averaging 35.8 points and 11.2 rebounds, the Wapsi Valley Warrior went on to play his college ball in Cedar Falls for the UNI Panthers. Today, McKowen serves as the head men’s basketball coach at Upper Iowa University in Fayette. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar