Out of rural
Springville, Iowa, and Springville High School, Eberhard was third team All-State in his senior year, graduating in 1970. His high school coach had contacts with
Norm Stewart, coach of the
Missouri Tigers, who had previously led the
Northern Iowa program, and Eberhard would sign with the Tigers. Sitting out his freshman season as required by NCAA rules at the time, the adjustment from a high school class of 41 students to the Missouri campus was a challenge. Eberhard said, "I remember the first day I walked on campus with 22,000 students and I wasn't sure what I was doing. I wondered if I made the right decision. That's why it was so important growing up on the farm. My family's mental toughness and work ethic taught me valuable lessons. I did a lot of growing up that first year away from home. I learned a lot about life. Our freshman year was good for all of us." Eberhard thrived at Missouri, scoring 1,347 points in his career, averaging 19.7 ppg and 12.0 rpg in his senior season (1973–74) and a
double-double for his Tigers career with 16.8 ppg and 10.1 rpg, helping the team to back-to-back 20 win seasons in 1971–72 and 1972–73 and as high as a
#5 national ranking. Eberhard was twice name as the MVP at the Big Eight Holiday Tournament and earned All
Big Eight honors his junior and senior years. ==Professional career==