Nebraska 66, Missouri 62
Jan. 30, 2008
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -Aleks Maric had 13 points and 13 rebounds and Ryan Anderson made a clinching steal and layup with 16 seconds to go, helping Nebraska hold off severely shorthanded Missouri 66-62 for its first Big 12 victory on Wednesday night. DeMarre Carroll had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Missouri, which made Nebraska work despite a game-day roster of only eight players. Maric bounced back after going scoreless in a blowout loss at Kansas on Saturday for Nebraska (12-6, 1-4), which last lost its first four conference games in 1990. Steve Harley had 15 points and Sek Henry 14. J.T. Tiller added 14 points for Missouri, which fell to 10-2 at home with the other loss to then-No. 3 Kansas. All 10 victories have been by double digits. Missouri trailed by nine points in the first half, but by only two at the break, and kept it close throughout. The Tigers tied it three times, the last time at 60-60 on Vaidotas Volkus' basket from the baseline with 1:50 to go. Ryan Anderson, who had 11 points and 10 rebounds, stole an outlet pass near midcourt and hit an uncontested layup to make it 64-60 with 16 seconds left. Missouri's coaching staff received a standing ovation as it walked onto the court for the first time from a crowd of 8,660, just over half-filled in the Mizzou Arena, for putting principles ahead of victories. Missouri compensated for the lack of manpower by conserving a bit of energy, pressing less and playing more zone, and leaving walk-on guard Nick Berardini on the bench throughout. Tiller got only his second start of the season, Volkus got his third and Mike Anderson Jr., son of the coach, scored his first points of the season on a jumper midway through the first half. The Tigers' 12-win football team showed off its Cotton Bowl trophy at halftime. |
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