Monday, February 04, 2002
Missouri shows Snyder it can win a big one
Tigers rebound after Kansas loss
The Associated Press
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri answered some of the questions that arose after a humbling loss to archrival Kansas.
Kareem Rush rebounded from one of his worst games of the season to score 26 points, and No.22 Missouri dealt No.8 Virginia its third straight loss, 81-77 Sunday.
It's a win that could keep Missouri, ranked as high as second earlier this season, in the Top 25 despite Monday's 105-73 loss to No.2 Kansas.
“I'm not going to fall into "The sky is falling and now all of the sudden it's 85 and sunny,'” coach Quin Snyder said. “I think we can play better, but it's good to be able to come tomorrow to practice and have that to say, 'Hey, we did that.'”
Virginia had won 27 straight regular season games outside the Atlantic Coast Conference since Dec.4, 1999. The streak included an 85-72 victory over Missouri last year in Charlottesville, Va. Missouri (16-6) won for the first time in five tries against the Cavaliers.
“Nothing that I did say this week or didn't say last week made a difference,” Snyder said. “We've made adjustments, obviously, but nothing really changed. Our kids are growing up.”
Perhaps none more than Rush, who finally turned in a star performance against a ranked opponent, topping 20 points for the first time this season against a team in the Top 25. He scored just 13 points on 6-of-19 shooting against Kansas.
He was 10-of-20, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range, on Sunday.
“I wasn't worried about my scoring,” said Rush, who also had four steals. “Once I lose focus on scoring, it tends to come a little bit easier. Coach has been saying that all year, and you want to believe him, but sometimes you just don't.”
The Cavaliers' three straight losses have all come against ranked teams. Virginia (14-5) started the season 9-0.
“We lose games like this, I can live with it,” Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. “I hate losing more than anybody in our locker room, but I'm as proud tonight as I was when we got some good wins early in the year.”
VIRGINIA (14-5) — Mathis 6-7 1-1 13, Williams 7-11 3-4 18, Brown 5-11 2-2 12, Jenifer 3-5 2-4 8, Mason 5-12 2-2 13, Dowling 0-0 0-0 0, Harper 4-6 0-0 9, Clark 0-2 0-0 0, Watson 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 32-58 10-13 77.
MISSOURI (16-6) — Bryant 1-3 0-0 2, Rush 10-20 2-2 26, Johnson 6-9 4-4 16, Gilbert 3-13 3-4 11, Paulding 5-9 2-3 14, Stokes 2-2 3-7 7, Gage 2-6 1-2 5, Kroenke 0-0 0-0 0, Ferguson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-62 15-22 81.
Halftime—Missouri 40-38. 3-Point goals—Virginia 3-8 (Williams 1-2, Harper 1-2, Mason 1-3, Brown 0-1), Missouri 8-17 (Rush 4-6, Gilbert 2-8, Paulding 2-3). Fouled out—Bryant, Jenifer. Rebounds—Virginia 35 (Williams 11), Missouri 30 (Johnson 8). Assists—Virginia 14 (Jenifer, Mason 4), Missouri 13 (Gilbert, Stokes 4). Total fouls—Virginia 21, Missouri 17. A—12,136.
Michigan State 67, No. 12 Illinois 61
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Michigan State scoring leader Marcus Taylor left the game with a concussion in the second half, but the Spartans held on to end the Illini's 28-game home winning streak.
Taylor banged his head on the court going for a rebound early in the second half and did not return to the game.
Adam Ballinger scored 18 points for Michigan State (4-4 Big Ten). Taylor, averaging 15.3 points, finished with 12 points on 4-for-7 shooting.
MICHIGAN STATE (13-8) — Anderson 4-7 3-4 11, Anagonye 4-8 1-2 9, Ballinger 6-14 5-6 18, Taylor 4-7 2-2 12, Torbert 0-3 2-2 2, Hill 5-9 0-1 13, Bograkos 0-1 2-2 2, Andreas 0-0 0-0 0, Westrick 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-49 15-19 67.
ILLINOIS (15-7) — Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Cook 9-16 1-1 22, Archibald 2-3 1-2 5, Bradford 1-8 4-4 7, Williams 6-14 3-4 19, Head 1-2 0-0 2, Ferguson 0-1 0-0 0, Harrington 1-6 0-0 3, Krupalija 0-1 0-0 0, Smith 1-2 1-2 3. Totals 21-54 10-13 61.
Halftime—Michigan State 36-33. 3-Point goals—Michigan State 6-17 (Hill 3-5, Taylor 2-5, Ballinger 1-4, Anderson 0-1, Torbert 0-2), Illinois 9-30 (Williams 4-9, Cook 3-5, Harrington 1-5, Bradford 1-8, Johnson 0-1, Head 0-1, Krupalija 0-1). Fouled Out—Hill, Archibald, Bradford. Rebounds—Michigan State 29 (Ballinger 8), Illinois 24 (Cook 7). Assists—Michigan State 9 (Taylor, Torbert, Hill 2), Illinois 15 (Bradford 6). Total fouls—Michigan State 20, Illinois 20. A—16,500.
No. 3 Maryland 89, NC State 73
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Juan Dixon scored 27 points, including seven in a 16-2 second-half run that carried the Terps.
Lonny Baxter had 16 points for the Terrapins, who kept pace with top-ranked Duke atop the Atlantic Coast Conference. Maryland (8-1) is off to its best start in the ACC since 1980.
Anthony Grundy scored 19 points for the Wolfpack (5-4 ACC), who have lost 20 of 23 to Maryland, including 13 straight on the road. N.C. State had won five straight road games since losing at Ohio State on Nov. 27.
“We knew we had to take better care of the basketball than we did tonight,” N.C. State coach Herb Sendek said. “Our goal was to have 10 or fewer turnovers. The 21 turnovers was hard to overcome.”
Western Kentucky 92, Morris Brown 52
Chris Marcus picked up where he left off 17 games ago for WKU.
The 7-foot-1 Marcus, out since Nov. 27 with a stress fracture in his left foot, came off the bench to score 15 points and 10 rebounds in 15 minutes.
“This was the perfect game to come back, because it's not a conference game and they've got some guys who can bang,” Marcus said.
Women: UC 65, Southern Miss 56
Freshman Debbie Merrill scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds Sunday to lead the Bearcats.
K.B. Sharp added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Bearcats, who won their fourth straight game.
Trailing by one point at the half, Cincinnati outscored Southern Miss 41-31 in the second period for the win.
La'Tasha Sumerall led Southern Miss (10-12, 3-6 Conference USA) with 16 points.
The Bearcats improved to 17-4 (6-3).
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