Criswell returns for MU

It was something of a dud first half for Missouri and nothing epitomized that more than freshman Johnathan Williams III’s blown dunk. He made a nifty move to split two Vanderbilt defenders but caught too much rim as he went to hammer the ball down.

Vanderbilt made eight of 17 first-half three-pointers.

A Vanderbilt offensive rebound off Kyle Fuller’s missed and-one free throw led to a three-pointer by senior Rod Odom and a game-changing, five-point possession.

Missouri won the battle on the boards 45-35, but the Tigers’ 36-16 edge on points in the paint couldn’t overcome Vanderbilt’s 12-for-32 performance from three-point range.

Senior Tony Criswell returned from a one-game suspension and finished with five points and a rebound in 10 minutes Thursday.

Criswell was suspended for Saturday’s game at Auburn for an unspecified violation of team rules. His status was said to be a game-time decision.

Criswell, who also turned 23 on Thursday, missed the first two games of the season after Missouri coach Frank Haith suspended him for academic reasons.

This story was originally published January 16, 2014 at 9:50 PM with the headline "Criswell returns for MU."