December 5, 1998

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - John Woods and Albert White scored 16 points each to lead Missouri to a 68-60 victory over Idaho Saturday in the Tigers' fourth consecutive win.

Avery Curry paced Idaho with 19 points, shooting just 8-for-20 from the field. The Vandals (3-2), who entered the game shooting 42 percent from 3-point range, hit just 14 percent of their long-range shots against Missouri (5-1).

It was the first time in Missouri's four consecutive wins that the Tigers hadn't led the entire game. Idaho held a 6-3 edge before Brian Grawer and Woods hit back-to-back 3-pointers for a 9-6 Missouri lead.

The Vandals' last lead was 10-9 with 15:25 left in the half. Sparked by a jump shot from Monte Hardge, the Tigers scored nine unanswered points in seven minutes.

Curry scored for Idaho with 8:08 to play in the half, cutting the Missouri lead to 18-12.

The Tigers led 30-22 at halftime and held Idaho to 32 percent shooting. Woods hit a pair of 3-pointers, and the Tigers made six consecutive free throws during a 14-2 run to open the second half.

But Idaho made a brief comeback after trailing 44-24 with 16 minutes left in the game. Josh Toal scored seven of his 10 points in the next five minutes as Idaho went on a 19-4 run.

The Vandals had two possessions to attempt to cut into Missouri's 48-43 lead, but failed both times.

Missouri scored on its next four possessions to extend its lead to 56-47. Idaho never came closer than within eight points in the last seven minutes of the game.

It was only the fourth meeting between Missouri and Idaho in the schools' history. Missouri had won two of the three previous meetings, including an 80-60 victory Dec. 3, 1970, the last time the two teams met.