Basketball falls to Kansas State 85-81

Anderson's Tigers fall to 11-5, 0-3 in Big 12 play.

By Ryan Huber

Published Jan. 15, 2007

For the third straight meeting between Missouri and Kansas State, both sides were led by different coaches. But on Saturday, MU coach Mike Anderson found the short end of the stick, as MU fell to 0-3 in the Big 12 with an 85-81 loss to Bob Huggins' Kansas State squad.

"It was a game of almosts," Anderson said. "We almost had that loose ball and we almost had that rebound and late in the game, (Kansas State) came up with it."

The Tigers came out flat, hitting nine of their first 23 shots and failing to convert on all seven first half three-point attempts.

Kansas State racked up 23 first-half rebounds including nine off the offensive glass, four more than the Tigers' combined offensive and defensive rebounds. Second-chance points followed suit with 10 for K-State and none for Missouri, allowing the Wildcats to lead 39-29 at halftime.

Junior guard Stefhon Hannah, who had three first-half fouls, had to sit most of the second half alongside center Leo Lyons, who had early foul trouble as well.

Despite playing with an absent big man and guard, the Tigers rallied with eight minutes to go, and closed the gap to four. But as quick as the Tigers battled back, the Wildcats spread their lead to 11 once again and MU was forced to conjure up yet a second comeback.

As time waned, the Tigers closed the deficit to two points, but then missed timely shots and couldn't overcome the free throw shooting of K-State, who finished the game 37-for-43.

"When you go out there and shoot 30 or 40 free throws, that's a lot of free throws, and they made them," Anderson said. "Cartier (Martin) stepped up and hit big free throws for them down the stretch."

The Wildcats were held without a field goal in the last 5:55, but managed 13 points from the charity stripe.

"I thought our guys were going to pull it off," Anderson said. "You could see it in their eyes. I thought they were ready to take it to the next level."

Sophomore guard Matt Lawrence had a quiet night from the field, making just two of five and missing his only two free throw attempts. He, along with the rest of the team, agreed with Anderson that it was a game of almosts.

"We were almost there," he said. "It seemed that if we had a couple of more minutes, we could have turned it around, and it's been that way for a couple of our losses this season â€" Illinois and Iowa State â€" we were just right there.

Anderson's patented high-pressure press created some havoc within the Wildcat offense but K-State junior guard Blake Young said they were up for the task.

"We worked on their press all week, trying to break their press," he said. "Coach knew they were going to press us and he just told us to be strong with the ball and that's what we came out and did."

Conference play doesn't get any easier for the Tigers as they travel to Lawrence, Kan., tonight to face the No. 6 Kansas Jayhawks. Matt Lawrence seemed optimistic about the opportunity.

"You have to make the trip sooner or later," he said. "It might be a good time for us, get beat a couple of times, and just really sort of soul-search, and know what we have to do to win, go out there and shock the world."