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Dennis Murphy

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Tigers outgun Cowboys in double-overtime
Adam Buckallew, Corner Post Staff

February 26, 2004 - Missouri needed this game desperately. The Tigers (14-10, 8-5 Big 12) have played one of the toughest schedules in the country this season, but before Tuesday's game, the Tigers had little to show for it. The victory over Oklahoma State (21-3, 11-2 Big 12) represented Missouri's first win in five tries against RPI Top 25 teams and it was also just their second victory against teams in the Top 50.

"It was huge," Missouri's Arthur Johnson said. "I mean, we really needed this one bad. We need every game. But we really needed this one."

The game featured a shooter's duel between MU's Rickey Paulding and OSU's John Lucas. Paulding led the Tigers with 31 points while Lucas paced the Cowboys with 30. Lucas shot 10 of 17 fields goals and was 6 of 11 from three-point range. Paulding shot just 9 of 17 field goals, but proved to be deadly from three-point range on 5 of 6 shooting.

Arthur Johnson provided the Tigers with additional firepower, scoring 29 points.

"We don't have enough size and bulk to get with Johnson," Oklahoma State head coach Eddie Sutton said. "He's a great player, and we just allowed him to get the ball, and when he didn't score, we ended up fouling him a lot."

The Tiger tandem of Paulding and Johnson led the assault against the Cowboys, but they received also received help from their teammates.

The Tigers led for most of the game but the Cowboys battled back in the second half. Following two consecutive three-pointers from Paulding that gave the Tigers a 71-62 lead with just under five minutes to play, Oklahoma State rallied behind an aggressive defense that forced the Tigers into five straight missed shots. The Cowboys tied the score at 73-73 with 11 seconds remaining in the game. Thomas Gardner missed a 3-pointer and Jason Conley's put-back was too late.

In the first over-time it looked as if the Cowboys might ride out of Columbia with the win, but Gardner hit an off-balanced 3 to send the game to double-overtime.

Conley started the second over-time at point guard and made several key plays for the Tigers.

"Jason (Conley) did well in a tough situation," Missouri head coach Quin Snyder said. "I put him at the point in the second overtime and he was able to see over them and find A.J."

Johnson hit two clutch free throws with 30.3 seconds remaining to give the Tigers a 93-92 advantage. Lucas, the Cowboy's triggerman, was set to take the potential game winning shot.

Travon Bryant guarded Lucas on the final shot. "That was our game plan," Bryant said. "I saw eight seconds left on the clock, and I knew I had to stay down in my stance and keep him in front of me for eight seconds. I knew I had to get out there and play hard defense."

Lucas final shot missed to the right and Conley corralled the loose basketball.

"I thought our team showed a lot of character and heart," Snyder said. "I was excited for our guys about this game. We have a ways to go and this will help us get there."

Editor's note: The quotes in this story were provided by the Missouri Athletic Department website.

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