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Shorthanded Tigers Fall Just Short

by OSR Staff

Columbia, Mo. - Coaches don't take any pleasure in moral victories these days, but forgive Mizzou Head Coach Mike Anderson if he takes a little bit of solace in his Tigers' 66-62 loss Wednesday night to Nebraska.

Mizzou took the court with only six scholarship players for the game, as five players (all five among the top eight in the regular rotation) were suspended by Anderson for violating team curfew policies over the weekend.

The guys that played Wednesday nearly pulled off the improbable, but never could get that key basket in the second half to get over the hump, and Nebraska made enough plays down the stretch to pull out the win.  The loss drops Mizzou to 12-9 on the year, and 2-4 in Big 12 Conference play, with Nebraska improving to 12-6 and 1-4.

A starting lineup of regulars DeMarre Carroll and Matt Lawrence were joined by Keon Lawrence, Vaidotas Volkus and J.T. Tiller.  That group, along with subs Justin Safford and Michael Anderson, Jr., somehow kept the Cornhuskers to within two points at halftime, trailing just 32-30.  Despite being shorthanded, the Tigers played very smart in the first half, committing only four team fouls, compared to 12 for Nebraska.

The tables were turned in the second half, however, as Mizzou was whistled for 10 team fouls, which led to Nebraska shooting 17 free throws in the final half (making 12), compared to just two MU free throws (seven Nebraska second-half fouls were called). 

Despite that severe free throw disadvantage, the scrappy Tigers had as many as seven possessions where they had the ball with a chance at taking the lead in the second half, but five times shots wouldn't fall, and two other chances were lost to costly turnovers.

After falling behind by six points (58-52) with 5:31 left, the Tigers chipped away at the deficit, as Keon Lawrence hit a jumper, followed by a Volkus layin and a Matt Lawrence basket in traffic.  The final basket capped a 6-0 Tiger run that tied the game at 58-58 with 3:37 left. 

Nebraska missed on a three-point try on its following possession, and Mizzou's Tiller got the rebound, but as he was flying down the court looking to make something happen, the ball got knocked away and Nebraska gained possession back.  The Huskers converted on their ensuing possession with a jumper by Steve Harley with 2:57 left to take a 60-58 lead.

After a missed jumper by Keon Lawrence, Nebraska rebounded, but couldn't convert, as center Aleks Maric was whistled for an offensive foul on the other end, his fifth of the game.

On Mizzou's next possession, the Tigers missed a three-point try that would have given it the lead, but a Carroll offensive rebound led to a Volkus made jumper with 1:51 that tied the game at 60 apiece.  Harley again hit a clutch leaner in the lane with 1:17 left to make it 62-60.

Keon Lawrence drove the lane and tried a runner in traffic, appearing to get fouled on the play, but no whistles came to the Tiger cause, and Nebraska rebounded with 1:00 left.  After running clock, the Huskers were forced into a miss by the stingy Tiger defense, and Tiller rebounded with 24 seconds left.

With a frenzied crowd of 8,660 awaiting a possible last-second Tiger win, Nebraska's Ryan Anderson, playing safety, jumped a cross-court pass near midcourt by Tiller, and raced alone the other way for a back-breaking layin and a 64-60 lead with just 19 seconds left.  After a missed three by the Tigers, Nebraska hit two free throws to seal the game.

"What a gutty performance, I'm so proud of our guys, to be shorthanded against a squad that was hungry for a win," he said.  "I think we just ran out of time and energy down the stretch.  To the faithful fans that showed up, it almost worked, it almost worked," he said.

Overall, Anderson was encouraged by the effort. 

"It brings joy to my heart," Anderson said. "None of you guys even thought these guys would be in that position. I'm going to tell you that, no doubt. But you know what? I had a suspicion, I had a feeling that we were gonna win the game. But I always think that. I always think that. But I really did. I really, really did. And the reason why is nobody expected it. But you know what? Those eight guys did. Those eight guys did and that coaching staff did."

Carroll led Mizzou with a 15-point, 12-rebound outing, and he was joined in double figures in scoring by Tiller (14 points, 8 rebounds), Volkus (12 points on 5-of-7 shooting) and Matt Lawrence (10 points).  Anderson offered a nice mix of man-to-man and zone defenses throughout the night to keep Nebraska off balance, and it appeared to work nicely, as the Cornhuskers shot only 39.7% for the game.  But the Huskers took advantage of their big edge in free throws, making more (14) free throws (in 21 attempts) than Mizzou attempted (12, making 7 in all).

Anderson said after the game that he would make a decision whenever the time was right about the potential return of the suspended players.  He surely could use their abilities this Saturday, as the Tigers will play host to the red-hot Kansas State Wildcats (15-4, 5-0), who come to Mizzou Arena fresh off an upset of 2nd-ranked Kansas.