The Missouri Tigers play before 15,061 fans – their first sellout crowd of the season at Mizzou Arena – defeating Bobby Knight and the Texas Texas Tech Red Raiders 71-58.

The Red Raiders were coming off two huge Big 12 wins against Kansas and Texas A&M, but the Tigers were ready. Forward Marshall Brown put the Tigers out in front 6-0 in the early going with a pair of 3-pointers, and the Tigers never looked back. Mizzou jumped out to a 13 point lead before closing the 1st half ahead 41-35.

Both teams started slowly in the 2nd Half, with both teams shooting blanks. But Mizzou finally got going and scored 10 points before Texas Tech could register its first bucket more than 9 and a half minutes into the half. From then on the Tigers never let the Red Raiders get back into the game. Starting guard Stefhon Hannah led the scoring for Missouri with 15 points. He also pulled down six rebounds.

Missouri Coach Mike Anderson gives a lot of credit to the defense. “If there’s anything we’re gonna hang our hats on, it’s gonna be our defense, said Anderson. “And I thought, tonight, defensively we were in a lot of places and did a lot of things.”

The sellout crowd didn’t hurt either. Hannah credits the fans with keeping the team pumped up throughout the game. “They helped us out, too,” said Hannah. “Once we seen that they were in the game, it just gave us energy.”

The Tigers are now 2-4 in Big 12 play and 15-6 overall. The next game for Missouri is Wednesday night in Manhattan against the Kansas State Wildcats.

Related web sites:
Missouri Tigers

3mizzou.mp3 (3448k)