Dec. 11, 2004
Montana at Missouri
December 11, 2004
Norm Stewart Court at Mizzou Arena - Columbia, Mo.
Game Notes
This was the first-ever meeting between Missouri and Montana on the basketball court.
The Tigers are now 5-0 all-time against teams from the Big Sky Conference. The last time they faced a Big Sky opponent was December 16, 1988, when they handed Eastern Washington an 81-68 defeat in Columbia.
Mizzou is now 12-2 all-time on games played on December 11, including one win over Missouri basketball SID Sam Fleury's alma mater, Nebraska-Kearney.
Three of the last four Missouri games have included a team basket for the Tigers; opponent. A team basket occurs when a defensive player scores a basket in the opponent's goal, usually off of a tipped rebound. The NCAA instituted the team basket as a statistical rule before last season.
Missouri Team Notes
The Tigers' 87 points are a season high for the team, as is the 25-point margin of victory.
Mizzou players set or tied 14 personal career highs against Montana. Sophomore forward Linas Kleiza set two and tied two, while freshman forward Glen Dandridge set one and tied three.
For the second consecutive game, the Tigers have banked in a three-point field goal from the top of the key. Freshman forward Marshall Brown drained one off glass against Arkansas, and classmate Jason Horton did the same against the Grizzlies.
The Tigers went on a 10-0 run over the final 1:42 of the first half to take a 37-21 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The 21 points the Tigers allowed in the opening stanza were the fewest points they've allowed in the first half of a game this season.
The Tigers came into the game shooting 38.4 percent from the floor this season, but turned in a 47.8 percent (33-of-69) effort against the Grizzlies.
Mizzou was lost the rebounding battle against Montana, 45-35, but improved their season record when they get outrebounded to 2-2.
The Tigers outscored Montana 34-18 in the paint, 27-6 off turnovers and 14-2 on the fast break.
Mizzou has allowed its opponents to make only seven three-point field goals in the last two games combined.
Missouri Player Notes
Sophomore forward Linas Kleiza had a career-high day in the scoring department, notching 26, one better than his previous mark of 25. His nine field goals made are also the most he's tallied in a game while at Mizzou.
Sophomore guard Thomas Gardner scored the first four Mizzou points, also the first four of the game.
Freshman forward Glen Dandridge buried a three-point field goal at the 12:56 mark of the first half, tying the career high he set against Creighton.
Freshman forward Marshall Brown dished out two assists for Mizzou, a new career high.
With the Tigers up 14-10 late in the first half, sophomore forward Linas Kleiza scored five straight points for Mizzou, giving his team a 19-13 lead.
Freshman forward Kalen Grimes recorded four blocks against the Grizzlies, besting the career high of two he set in his collegiate debut (vs. Brown).
Freshman forward Glen Dandridge played a career high 16 minutes for the Tigers.
Freshman forward Kalen Grimes' 12 points more than doubled the career-high five he scored on two previous occasions.
Freshman guard Jason Horton's eight points constitute a new career high, while his four rebounds are also a new career mark.
Sophomore forward Linas Kleiza drained four three-point field goals, tying the career high he set earlier this season against Davidson.
Junior forward/center Kevin Young tied his career high in rebounds with eight against Montana. He also accomplished the feat against UNLV last season.
The first block of freshman forward Glen Dandridge's Mizzou career came at the 9:52 mark of the second half.
Freshman forward Glen Dandridge tied his career-high point total with seven in the game.
Freshman forward Kalen Grimes' three rebounds against Montana tied the career high he set against Davidson earlier this season.
Montana Team Notes
This was Montana's second game in three days against a foe from the state of Missouri. The Grizzlies earned a 69-66 win over Southeastern Missouri State on Thursday night.
Montana is now 4-14 all-time against teams from the Big 12.
The Grizzlies outscored Mizzou 4-0 in second chance points in the first half.
Montana became the fourth team to outrebound the Tigers this season, and the second team to lose while doing so.
Montana Player Notes
Junior guard Kevin Criswell grabbed six rebounds for Montana, a new season high.
Freshman forward Andrew Strait ripped down a career-high eight rebounds for the Grizzles.
Of the three Montana players to enter the game averaging double figures in points - junior guard Kevin Criswell, freshman guard Matt Martin and senior forward Kamarr Davis - only Davis, who had 12, accomplished the feat against Mizzou.