March 10, 2005
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By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Linas Kleiza scored 26 points to lead Missouri past
Nebraska 70-67 in the first round of the Big 12 tournament Thursday.
Joe McCray, minutes after breaking the Big 12 freshman record for 3-pointers
in a season, launched one from behind the arc with 3 seconds left. But it
rattled in and out, giving the Tigers their third victory this season over the
Huskers.
Kleiza, the Tigers' leading scorer and rebounder, was held in check by
Nebraska's zone defense until he finally hit a short jumper late in the first
half. His 26 points were the most scored in a Big 12 tournament game against
Nebraska (14-14), which has lost seven tournament games in a row and six
straight in the first round.
In the semifinals Friday, the Tigers (16-15) will play conference
co-champion Oklahoma, which lost 68-65 in overtime at Missouri on Feb. 12.
After Kleiza's two free throws gave Missouri a 69-62 lead with 1:56 to go,
McCray hit his record-breaking 3-pointer, giving him 80 for the year to break
the old mark of 79 held by Jeff Boschee of Kansas and Bernard King of Texas
A&M. Then Jake Muhleisen got a put-back that made it 69-67.
With 9 seconds left, Kleiza rebounded a miss by Jason Dourisseau and was
fouled. At that point, he was 10-for-10 from the line, but he missed his first
and then made his second, giving McCray a shot at a tie.
McCray had 20 points and Dourisseau had 18 for the Huskers, who had 10
turnovers in the first half but none in the second.
Thomas Gardner had 13 for Missouri, which won for only the second time this
year away from home.
Kleiza's first bucket put Missouri ahead 25-18, then the 6-foot-8 junior
scored the next five points.
After Missouri took a 32-25 halftime lead, Kleiza started the second half
with a three-point play, a 3-pointer and a contested 6-footer he banked home
for a 40-25 lead.
Charles Richardson's two free throws started a 14-6 run that brought
Nebraska to within 57-52. A few minutes later, McCray made a pair of foul shots
that sliced the lead to 63-59.
