Tigers run away from Huskers in second half

The Tigers have won nine of their last 10 games.

By Ross Taylor

Published Feb. 14, 2009, last updated 12:25 a.m., Feb. 18, 2009

The Missouri men's basketball team has prided itself all season long on its label as a second half team. Less than a week after a Jekyll and Hyde effort between halves in their win against Kansas, the Tigers turned up the heat on Nebraska in the second half Saturday at Mizzou Arena.

The result was a 70-47 win for No. 17 Missouri, improving the Tigers to 22-4 and 9-2 in Big 12 play, their best Big 12 start in school history.

Missouri, which moved into the rankings last week after winning at Texas, continued its rise in the national polls. In the Associated Press poll released Monday, Missouri is ranked No. 11 in the country, and in the ESPN/USA Today poll they're ranked No. 10. Only No. 2 Oklahoma is ranked higher out of Big 12 teams.

"We went into the locker room at halftime and coach (Mike Anderson) told us the game was getting boring," junior guard J.T. Tiller said.

The "boring" pace of play fed into the style Nebraska coach Doc Sadler has instilled in his Cornhusker team. Nebraska (15-8, 5-5 Big 12) slowed the pace of play, staying within reaching distance, trailing 25-19 at the half.

But after shooting 33 percent from the field in the first half, Missouri shot 52 percent from the field in the second, outscoring Nebraska 45-28.

"You have to stay close to Missouri," Sadler said. "They get out of sight and it's hard to play catch up to them."

Although his line on the stat sheet won't draw any major attention, a lot of the spotlight after the game was once again on the play of forward Keith Ramsey. Ramsey added a modest five points, three blocks and a rebound, but he did it in electrifying fashion.

In the second half, Ramsey swatted a Nebraska shot hard enough that sound of the block was audible in press row. Ramsey began beating his chest, pumping his fists and yelling, "Let's go!" A few minutes later, Ramsey threw down a thunderous one-handed dunk.

Ramsey's frontcourt energy was matched by freshman forward Laurence Bowers, who vindicated Anderson calling him "a highlight reel" before the season began. Bowers threw down a tomahawk dunk that sent the Missouri crowd into a frenzy late in the second half.

The game was a compilation of individual efforts from throughout the Missouri roster. Freshman guard Miguel Paul saw significant playing time as a result of foul trouble by Tiller and junior guard Zaire Taylor. Little-used Mike Anderson Jr. and Steve Moore also saw action in the last five minutes of the game, thanks to Missouri's large lead.

Among the efforts recognized by coach Anderson after the game were those of freshman guard Marcus Denmon. Denmon finished with 10 points, four assists and two steals. Missouri, as a whole, assisted on 72 percent of the team's field goals.

Although the team refused to label Saturday's contest as a revenge game, the win somewhat avenges Missouri's loss to Nebraska in the teams' conference opener.

In the teams' Jan. 10 game in Lincoln, Neb., Nebraska's defense limited Missouri to 18 first-half points en route to a 56-51 win against the Tigers. The Cornhuskers held senior forward DeMarre Carroll, Missouri's leading scorer at 17.4 points per game, to seven points.

Carroll and senior Matt Lawrence led the Tigers with 13 points apiece Saturday. Four Missouri players finished the game with points in double digits.