When Missouri coach Frank Haith strides onto Mizzou Arena’s Norm Stewart Court on Saturday, he will be lacking his routinely stylish dress shoes to match his pinstriped suit and sauve watch.
“I gotta figure out how to get some white shoes,” he said Friday.
The Tigers’ (14-4, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) matchup against South Carolina marks the first “White Out Game” to support former MU coach Norm Stewart’s Coaches vs. Cancer foundation, which is in its 21st year. Coaches traditionally wear white basketball shoes during the foundation’s weekend games.
Will Palaszczuk, of KTGR 1580 AM Columbia, hosted the “White Out Pep Rally” at the MU Student Recreation Complex on Friday night to kick off the weekend by giving away tickets to MU sporting events and St. Louis Cardinals games.
Missouri assistant coach Dave Leitao greeted the crowd of 100-some students in between cadences by the Mini Mizzou drumline.
“The fight against cancer has taken on a life like no other I’ve seen in my lifetime,” Leitao said. “Now, in this day and age, you can fight it and you can beat it.”
Fans can buy official “White Out” T-shirts at The Mizzou Store for $9.99, and a portion of the profits will go to the foundation. Fans are encouraged to wear white to the game, which is at 3 p.m. Saturday.
