Missouri notes: Reserve forward D’Angelo Allen provides a spark for Tigers

Saddled with foul trouble and needed an energy boost, Missouri coach Kim Anderson turned to sophomore forward D’Angelo Allen midway through the first half.

Allen has averaged a shade more than 8 minutes this season and didn’t appear at all in three games, but he came up big in a 76-61 win against Auburn with seven points and four rebounds in 12 minutes.

“He was tremendous tonight,” freshman forward Kevin Puryear said. “I’m super proud of him, super happy for him. He’s been through a lot this season and, to see him have a moment like that, I’m extremely happy for him. He’s definitely deserving.”

Missouri trailed 16-15 when sophomore D’Angelo Allen entered the game, but he immediately helped spark a 17-2 run.

Allen’s offensive rebound and tip-in broke a 16-16 tie after Puryear’s game-tying free throw.

Allen then added a block and a defensive rebound before splashing in a three-pointer — his first of the season — that had the Tigers in control 25-18 with 5:05 remaining before halftime.

During the closing minutes, Allen added another defensive board, giving him five points and three rebounds in eight first-half minutes.

“He deserves a lot of credit,” sophomore guard Tramaine Isabell said. “His niche is he’s an energy guy, and he brought that. He brings it every day.”

By the numbers

13: Offensive rebounds by Missouri, which has reached double figures in four of the last six games and beat Auburn 15-9 on second-chance points.

15: Missouri’s halftime lead, the largest in a conference game since the Tigers led South Carolina 38-22 at intermission Jan. 25, 2014.

40-5: Missouri’s edge in bench scoring buoyed by Tramaine Isabell’s 12 points and 10 from Namon Wright.

This story was originally published January 10, 2016 at 12:07 AM with the headline "Missouri notes: Reserve forward D’Angelo Allen provides a spark for Tigers."