Post Game Notes
1/8/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2013
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Missouri Basketball Notes
Mizzou vs. Alabama - Jan. 8, 2013
Tonight's game was of course the Southeastern Conference debut game for Missouri. The Tigers also earned their second consecutive win over the Crimson Tide, but that most recent meeting was back in 2001 in the Guardians Classic in Kansas City.
A season high attendance of 13,895 saw this evening's game.
Missouri improved to 4-2 in its initial contest as a member of a new league. The Tigers won their first game as members of the Big Six, Big Seven and Big Eight conferences, but lost league openers in the Missouri Valley and Big 12.
Missouri improved to 26-9 in January since the 2008-09 campaign. The club is also 76-4 at home during that same stretch.
No team has topped 70 at Mizzou Arena this year and that streak continued as the Tigers limited Alabama to just 68 points.
The win was Missouri's 119th over the last five seasons, tied for the second most in school history in a five-year stretch, equaling the 119 wins registered by the Tigers from 1985-90. The winningest five-year period in program history was from 2007-11, 123 wins.
Mizzou hit six treys in the first half, a season high. Missouri made five first-half treys against South Carolina State, Illinois and UCLA.
Mizzou also set a season high in three-point percentage (.600), hitting 9-of-15. The previous best was 7-of-16 (.438) against SIUE in the season opener.
The Tigers narrowly missed their best shooting night of the season. Missouri shot 56.6 percent from the floor. The best was a 56.9 shooting effort against South Carolina State.
Phil Pressey opened Mizzou's scoring with a three-pointer, which was his fourth consecutive make from bonus distance. He was a perfect 3-of-3 in the second half against Bucknell.
Pressey dished eight assists in the first half and finished with 13 for the game. He has topped double-figures in assists three times in his last four games and now has eight or more dimes 19 times in his career.
The 13 dimes broke the Mizzou Arena record and are tied for the second most in school history next to his 19 dimes at UCLA on Dec. 28.
Pressey has dished (48) assists over his last four games (12.0 apg) and moved into sole possession of third place on the Missouri career assists list. He finished tonight's game with 446 career dimes .The Dallas native needs 43 more to pass Melvin Booker (488) for second all-time at MU. Anthony Peeler is the school-record holder with 497.
Pressey now has 106 assists on the year and topped the century mark in assists for the third consecutive season.
Laurence Bowers reached double-figures in scoring for the eighth consecutive game. Bowers finished the game with 16 points and five boards. Dating back to his junior season of Bowers has topped double figures in 21 of his last 23 games.
Jabari Brown returned to double figures with a career high 22 points. Brown was outstanding from three-point range, hitting 5-of-7 treys, a new career high and the most for any Tiger player this season.
His 20-point game was the third by a Tiger this season, joining Laurence Bowers (four times) and Phil Pressey (twice).
Earnest Ross broke his Missouri high with 19 points. Ross' previous Mizzou best was 17 in the win against Alcorn State.
Alex Oriakhi recorded his fifth double-double of the year, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Phil Pressey logged his third point-assist double-double in the last four outings with 11 points and 13 dimes.
Missouri has done well protecting the basketball too. The club is averaging just 9.0 turnovers in its last two contests.
