in the NCAA tournament,” Stipanovich recalled. “In the tournament we played Notre Dame, a school which was considerably stronger than Mizzou. We were the underdogs, and yet we won the game. It was amazing.” As a sophomore in 1980–81, Missouri finished 22–10 and captured their 2nd successive Big 8 Conference Championship, as Stipanovich averaged 12.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists. In 1981–82, Missouri finished 27–4, capturing the Big 8 Title, with Stipanovich averaging 16.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists. The Tigers lost 79–78 to Houston with Clyde Drexler and Akeem Olajuwon in the 2nd round of the 1982 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. As a senior in 1982–83, Stipanovich averaged 18.4 points and 8.8 rebounds, and dominated the Big Eight Conference. In a nationally televised game, Stipanovich and teammate Greg Cavener combined to stop future NBA number one pick Ralph Sampson and upset top ranked Virginia, as Stipanovich scored 27 points with 12 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. Stipanovich was both an academic All American and a first team All American selection his senior year. Missouri finished 26–8 and won their fourth straight Big 8 conference title. Missouri won over 100 games and Stipanovich averaged 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 128 career games at Missouri. He played all four years alongside teammate and future NBA player Jon Sundvold. Gunshot controversy On the evening of December 27, 1980, Stipanovich accidentally discharged a loaded firearm, hitting himself in the shoulder. He initially told police that a masked intruder, wearing cowboy boots and a flannel shirt broke into his apartment on Sunrise Drive in Columbia, Missouri, and shot him while screaming obscenities about basketball players. The next day, Stipanovich recanted the story and admitted that he shot himself by accident. Regarding the incident afterward, Stipanovich stated, "That gun incident changed my life. Absolutely. It was in the past, and I had to look to the future. I mean, you can't unscramble eggs." NBA career On May 19, 1983 the Houston Rockets won a coin flip with the Indiana Pacers for the first pick in the 1983 NBA draft. The Rockets chose Virginia's Ralph Sampson on draft day, June 28, 1983. Stipanovich was taken by the Pacers with the second overall pick of the 1983 NBA draft, behind Sampson. "People kept telling me I'd be the second pick," Stipanovich reflected. "I didn't really know for sure." The Pacers