MU falls short, loses to Nebraska 56-51

By MIKE DeARMOND

The Kansas City Star

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LINCOLN, Neb. | Missouri wiped out an 18-point lead, finally, with 1 minute, 41 seconds to play.

But Missouri’s last chance at victory, in a game it never led, vanished when Marcus Denman's three-point attempt from the left wing was short with 2.4 seconds to play.

Fouled on the ensuing rebound, Nebraska's Ryan Anderson made two free throws, finishing off the Tigers 56-51.

Nebraska, picking up six steals and forcing Missouri into 12 turnovers, held a 32-18 lead at the half.

Ade Dagunduro led the way for Nebraska in the opening half with 13 points and finished with 20.

Missouri senior forwards Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll, meanwhile, were largely missing in action in the first 20 minutes.

For the second straight game, Lyons found himself in foul trouble early. He didn't score and had one rebound in the first half, sitting all but four minutes with two fouls.

Carroll, MU's leading scorer on the season, matched Lyons' nonscoring total and also went to the bench for a protracted period after picking up his second foul. Carroll played only 11 minutes in the first half.

Lyons and Carroll each had three turnovers.

Matt Lawrence led Missouri with just six points on a couple of threes.

Missouri hit only seven of 22 shots and was zero for five from the free-throw line.

Missouri trailed only 19-15 with 5 minutes left in the half, but Nebraska closed on intermission with a 13-3 run. The only MU score in that span was Marcus Denmon's three with 39 seconds left.

Nebraska stretched its lead to 36-18 in the first minute of the second half. But then Lyons and Carroll and J.T. Tiller began to assert themselves.

Lyons finished with 12 points, Tiller 11 and Carroll 7.

But ultimately, Missouri fell to 13-3 and 0-1 in the Big 12 Conference. Nebraska is now 11-3 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12.

Posted on Sat, Jan. 10, 2009 02:12 PM

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