Missouri Tigers Michael Dixon steals the basketball in the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri on February 12, 2011. Dixon went on to have 16 points as Missouri defeated Oklahoma 84-61. UPI/Bill Greenblatt

The Missouri bench scored 42 points led by Michael Dixon with 16 points as the 20th ranked Tigers won their 15th game of the year at Mizzou Arena in an 84-61 final over the Oklahoma Sooners. The Tigers improve to 5-5 in Big 12 play.

Endurance was the key in the second half as Oklahoma had four players log 30 or more minutes on the floor. The Sooners’ shooting percentage went from 48% in the first half to just 39% as the Tigers’ defense forced 18 turnovers.

Mike Anderson’s opening comments from postgame

The Sooners had an early 16-9 lead hitting some open shots, but senior forward Justin Safford, who scored 11 off the bench in 22 minutes, called it “Fool’s Gold,” when referring to OU’s quick start.

The Tigers turned that seven point deficit into a six point halftime lead, 37-31, in the final 12:20 of the first half. Then Mizzou scored four points in the first 49 seconds of the second half, including a monster dunk from Ricardo Ratliffe that pushed the lead to 10.

Ratliffe joined Safford and Dixon in double figures with 13 points while only playing 19 minutes after getting into foul trouble early. Ricky Kreklow had a good offensive game pitching in with seven points.