Freshman Kevin Puryear helps power Missouri to third straight win, 85-78 over Nebraska-Omaha

It’s no secret that freshman forward Kevin Puryear has emerged as Missouri’s best player this season.

Accordingly, when the Tigers needed a spark during a second-half lull, it was Puryear, a Blue Springs South graduate and the reigning DiRenna Award winner, who came to the rescue Wednesday in a 85-78 win against Nebraska-Omaha at Mizzou Arena.

Puryear, who finished with a game-high 18 points and a career-high eight rebounds, did yeoman’s work when it was needed most as Missouri nursed a five-point lead with under 9 minutes remaining.

“I was definitely more aggressive at that point in the game, because I felt like I needed to do something,” Puryear said. “Whether it was score or rebound the ball, I just wanted to contribute to the win and put them away.”

He started by ending a 7-0 Omaha run with a 12-foot baseline jumper off a feed from junior Wes Clark, who finished with a team-high four assists.

Puryear then snatched a defensive rebound and worked his way to the line with a strong drive to the basket.

After a pair of Mavericks free throws, Puryear, who has scored in double figures in seven of eight games this season, added a baby hook in the lane for an eight-point lead.

Missouri, 5-3, still led by eight when senior Ryan Rosburg drew a charge against Omaha sophomore Tre’Shawn Thurman with 5:30 remaining.

It was Thurman’s fifth foul and he compounded the situation with a technical in frustration, which gifted the Tigers a pair of Namon Wright free throws.

Missouri’s lead never again dipped below eight points until the final 1:12 when Omaha desperately — and in vain — tried to rally.

“I’m happy with the win and I’m proud of these guys,” MU coach Kim Anderson said. “It was a game that really they made a run and fought back. They made a run and we fought back, so it was good from that standpoint.”

The Tigers, who play at Arizona on Sunday, have won three straight and improved to 5-0 at home this season.

“I’m certainly happy that we won the game,” Anderson said. “It was an ugly game. … I thought Omaha did a great job of pressuring our guys and forcing us to make mistakes, especially in the first half.”

Missouri — which overcame 13 first-half turnovers and shot 48.1 percent for the game, limiting Omaha to 41.0 percent from the field — didn’t get off to the same blistering start it did against Arkansas State or Northern Illinois last week, but the Tigers also didn’t have a late fade in the first half.

Instead, Missouri dominated the boards 24-12 on the way to a seven-point halftime lead, but that dominance faded as Omaha won the battle on the boards 22-13 in the second half.

Neither the Tigers nor the Mavericks led by more than four during the opening 10 minutes, but Missouri ramped up the pressure after a Thurman bucket made it 20-18 at the 10:30 mark.

Omaha went scoreless during the next 5:16.

The Mavericks, 4-5, missed seven straight shots, while the Tigers rattled off a 10-0 run and moved in front by double digits.

Omaha finished the first half shooting only 33.3 percent, including a two of 14 stretch to close the first half.

Freshman K.J. Walton scored three at the free-throw line, junior Russell Woods added a pair of layups and freshman Terrence Phillips splashed in a three-pointer as Missouri built a 30-18 lead.

Woods’ second layup, which capped the run, came on a possession that included two offensive rebounds.

With 3:13 remaining, sophomore Jakeenan Gant punctuated a strong first half with a follow slam and then a block against Omaha’s Randy Reed.

Gant followed up a breakout performance against Northern Illinois, when he scored 11 with six rebounds, by scoring 11 with five rebounds.

“I was thrilled,” Anderson said. “I was really happy for him. I thought he again gave us some energy and gave us a pickup.”

Phillips finished with 14 points and Walton added 10, while sophomore Namon Wright stuffed the stat sheet with nine points, a career-high seven boards and a career- and team-high four assists.

MISSOURI 85

NEBRASKA-OMAHA 78

TableStyle: SP-bkwideplayersCCI Template: SP-bkwideplayers

Percentages: FG .410, FT .742. Three-Point Goals: 5-22, .227 (Patterson 2-6, White 1-1, Jackson 1-3, Smallwood 1-4, Erickson 0-1, Thurman 0-2, Hollins 0-5). Blocked Shots: 3 (Thurman, Pirog, Hollins). Turnovers: 16 (White 4, Reed 3, Patterson 3, Newsome 2, Thurman 2, Hollins, Smallwood). Steals: 9 (Hollins 3, Jackson 2, White 2, Patterson 2). Technical Fouls: Thurman.

TableStyle: SP-bkwideplayersCCI Template: SP-bkwideplayers

Percentages: FG .481, FT .763. Three-Point Goals: 6-16, .375 (Phillips 3-5, Walton 1-1, Puryear 1-2, VanLeer 1-3, Wright 0-2, Clark 0-3). Blocked Shots: 3 (Gant 2, Clark). Turnovers: 18 (Phillips 4, Isabell 3, Clark 3, Wright 3, Rosburg 2, Gant, Walton, Puryear). Steals: 9 (Walton 2, Phillips 2, Wright, Puryear, Isabell, Clark, Gant). Technical Fouls: None.

Half: Missouri 37-30. Att: 5,022. Officials: Mike Nance, Ron Groover, Bart Lenox.

AP-WF-12-10-15 0347GMT

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 7:57 PM with the headline "Freshman Kevin Puryear helps power Missouri to third straight win, 85-78 over Nebraska-Omaha."