Missouri
Valparaiso
Missouri Men's Hoops Rallies To Beat Valparaiso
11/24/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 24, 2000
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Freshman Rickey Paulding came off the bench to ignite a second-half rally as Missouri defeated Valparaiso 77-61 Friday in the semifinals of the Great Alaska Shootout.
Clarence Gilbert led the Tigers (3-0) with 21 and Paulding 16.
The game see-sawed back and forth until Valparaiso's shooting turned cold with about 14 minutes left in the game. The Crusaders went more than eight minutes without a field goal as Missouri built a 61-49 lead.
Valparaiso shot 19 percent in the second half and just 29 percent for the game.
Top shooters on both teams had their problems.
Valparaiso's Lubos Barton didn't score from the field until 6:04 remained in the first half. He finished just two for 16. Jared Nunness was 0-11.
Missouri's Kareem Rush sat down with two fouls with about 14 minutes in the first half. He finished with 15 points but shot just 4-13 for the game.
The Crusaders led by 10 in the first half when Dwayne Toatley hit a 3-pointer with about 13:30 left.
But Missouri closed the gap with two baskets and two free throws by Paulding and a 3-point shot by Gilbert.
Missouri tied the game at 24 on a free throw after referees hit Crusaders' coach Homer Drew with a technical foul.
