November 29, 1998

By LUKE VILELLE
AP Sports Writer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Albert White scored 18 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, both game-highs, as Missouri defeated Southwest Texas State 69-51 on Nov. 29.

The Tigers (3-1) foiled the Bobcats' attempt to win their second straight game on the road against a Big 12 foe. Southwest Texas (2-1) beat Baylor 70-62 on Nov. 24. Missouri has beaten the Bobcats, led by Wesley Williams' 12 points, each of the three times the two teams have met.

It was White's second consecutive game scoring and rebounding in double figures. He totaled 19 points and 10 rebounds against Austin Peay on Nov. 23 in a 63-53 Missouri victory.

Missouri never trailed against Southwest Texas, scoring the first points on John Woods' 3-pointer. The Tigers scored on four of their first five possessions, including another 3-pointer from Woods, who scored 16 points, to grab an 11-6 lead.

Missouri tallied 10 unanswered points to take a 35-17 lead with 2:50 remaining in the first half. Clarence Gilbert scored five points during the stretch, including a 3-pointer.

Southwest Texas's Jason Blair broke a four-minute dry spell for the Bobcats with a layup at the 2:30 mark. The bucket sparked a 7-1 Southwest Texas run that ended the half and kept the Bobcats within striking distance of the Tigers at 36-24.

The Bobcats kept their momentum early in the second half. Jeff Foster's tip-in, two of his 11 points, with 17:20 to play cut the Tiger lead to 38-31 and prompted Missouri to take a 20-second timeout. It was Missouri's slimmest lead since the Tigers led 17-10 six minutes into the game.

White scored six of Missouri's points in a 10-3 run that gave the Tigers a 52-38 edge with 9:40 left. Missouri led by at least nine points for the rest of the game. The Tigers' biggest edge was a 20-point advantage at 67-47.