Herb McPherson (1989) - Hall of Fame - Murray State University Athletics

Herb McPherson

Induction:
1989

Herb McPherson – Basketball, 1964-1967

Recruited by Coach Cal Luther out of Gas City, Indiana
Finished his MSU career as the third-leading scorer in school history with 1,513 points. As of 2021, his total still ranks 13th in Racer history.
No Racer scored more points than McPherson did during the decade of the 1960s.
He did it all without the advantage of the 3-point shot that wasn't introduced to the college game until 1986.
In a time when freshman could not play, McPherson broke into Luther’s starting lineup as a sophomore, averaging 18.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.
He was even better as an upperclassman, he averaged an impressive 21.2 points, the third-best season average in Racer history at the time.
Was an All-Ohio Valley Conference selection as a junior and again as a senior.
His career free throw percentage of 81 percent (301-371) is 11th all-time at MSU as of 2021.
Set the MSU single game scoring mark with 44 points in 1966 against Middle Tennessee at Racer arena. That historic night, saw Herb make 17 field goals. The former record by Bennie Purcell of 41 points had stood for 14 years. Then McPherson’s record of 44 stood just a couple of months shy of 30 years, when Marcus Brown scored 45 points against Washington University of St. Louis in 1995.
In his final game at Murray, he scored 24 points to help the Racers defeat Western Kentucky (No. 3 ranked).
Was inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame in 1989. McPherson was teammates with other hall of famers including: Jim Jennings, Stewart Johnson, Dick Cunningham and Coach Cal Luther.
Had a hall of fame prep career at Mississinewa High School in Gas City where he scored 1,736 points. His total is still the school record.
McPherson had a long career as a coach in Indiana prep basketball at Mississinewa, North Posey High School and Marion High School.
McPherson was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017 joining other Murray State alumni in the hall including William Moore, who played for Coach Scott Edgar from 1993-95, was inducted in 2015, Janice McCracken O'Brien, who played for MSU in the late 1970s and was inducted in 2011 and Dick Kinder, who played for the Racers in the mid-1050's and was inducted in 2012.
Herb was selected to the Chronicle Tribune All-Century Basketball Team in 1999.
He was inducted into the Grant County Hall of Fame in 2014.
Drafted by the San Diego Rockets of the NBA in 1967 as the 55th overall pick.