Nov. 2, 2002
The Missouri Tigers Men's Basketball team defeated the EA Sports East All-Stars in overtime Saturday night 81-80 in front of a crowd of 6,767 to kickoff their 2002-03 exhibition season. Rickey Paulding led the Tigers with 22 points going 3-for-7 behind the three-point line and 7-18 from the field overall. Arthur Johnson added eight points and a team leading 12 rebounds. Corey Anders came off the bench for the All-Stars and led the team with 17 points.
The contest was hard fought by both teams, as there were 11 ties and 13 lead changes throughout the game. Most of which came in the first six minutes of the game where there was five ties and one lead change leaving the score tied at 12 with 13:52 left in the first half. After falling behind 15-12 midway through the first stanza, Mizzou went on a 7-2 run which was started by back-to-back dunks by sophomore Najeeb Echols and Paulding. The other three points of Missouri's run came from freshman Jimmy McKinney, which put Mizzou up, 21-17 with 8:01 to go in the half.
EA Sports regained the lead at 4:20 after a Kelvin Simms lay-up, making the score 23-21. After falling behind again, the Tigers reclaimed the lead thanks to Ricky Clemons' lay-up and three-pointer, taking a 31-29 lead into half time. During the first half, Johnson grabbed 10 of his team-leading 12 rebounds and Paulding led the Tigers in scoring with nine.
The Tigers got off to a rough start in the second half as EA Sports amassed a nine-point lead after an 11-0 run. At the 13:41 point in the second half Missouri was down 36-44. After put-backs by Paulding and Jeffrey Ferguson and a Clemons three-pointer, the Tigers tied the score at 46 with 10:35 remaining. EA Sports then scored three off an Adonis Jordan basket at 6:16 and didn't look back, as they would hold the lead for the next 6:10. The Tigers were down by seven, 62-55, with 3:08 remaining when Josh Kroenke scored a three and then took a charge setting up a Paulding three-pointer leaving the All-Stars a one-point lead. With 21.2 left in regulation, Missouri was down by five, 63-68.
After a Mike Nilson foul, Kroenke came through with two free throws, making the Tiger deficit three. A foul by
Ricky Clemons put EA Sports to the line where they made both free throws making the lead again five for the All-Stars. With only 12.9 seconds left, Clemons added two cutting the lead to three once again. A crucial traveling violation by the All-Stars gave the Tigers another chance with 10.5 remaining. The Tigers in bounded the ball and found Paulding for the tying three-point basket sending the game into overtime with the score tied at 70.
Mizzou won the tip and scored immediately on a Travon Bryant basket. EA Sports grabbed the lead again with a three by Mike Nielson at the 4:19 point. Johnson brought the Tigers back to even with EA, with a deuce. Bryant added five more of Missouri's seven final overtime points to help Missouri top the All-Stars 81-80.
The Tigers end their exhibition season on Friday, Nov. 8, as they host the Mid-West All-Stars. The game will be televised on the Mizzou Sports Network and tip scheduled to occur at 7 p.m.
