COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Men's Basketball (5-3) used a balanced scoring attack and an opportunistic defense in its 85-78 victory Wednesday over Omaha (4-5). The win moved the Tigers' home record to a perfect 5-0 this season.

Mizzou's offense was led by freshman forward Kevin Puryear (Blue Springs, Mo.), as he finished with 18 points and a career-high eight rebounds. Puryear's strong night marked his fourth consecutive double-digit scoring game and seventh overall this season.

Freshman guard Terrence Phillips (Orange County, Calif.) knocked down a trio of three-pointers in the first half, matching his season-high in just the first 20 minutes of play. Phillips finished with 14 points, marking his second-highest scoring effort of the season and fourth double-digit game.

The Tigers' defense forced a season-high 16 turnovers, leading to 23 of its 85 total points on the night. The Tigers' 85 points was their second-highest single-game total this season and their third 80-plus point game for the 2015-16 season.

Mizzou's defense limited Omaha to 10-of-30 (33.3-percent) shooting in the first half, keying a 10-0 scoring run midway through the opening half to stretch their lead to 30-18. Mizzou's front-court attack took control in the first half, outscoring the Mavericks 18-8 down low in the paint.

Seven Tigers reached the scoreboard in the first half as the team shot 50-percent (14-for-28) from the field. The second half kicked off in similar fashion for the home team as Mizzou used an early 14-6 run to extend its largest lead of the game to 15 points.

The Mavericks shot well overall in the second half, but effective free throw shooting down the stretch propelled the Tigers to the victory. Mizzou knocked in 29-of-38 (76.3-percent) from the charity stripe Wednesday, including 24-of-31 (77.4-percent) in the second half alone.

Sophomore forward Jakeenan Gant (Springfield, Ga.) and freshman guard K.J. Walton (Brownsburg, Ind.) rounded out the Tigers' double-digit scorers, as they finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively. 

The Tigers next hit the road for a matchup at No. 14 Arizona (7-1) on Sunday, Dec. 13, at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. The game will tipoff at 7 p.m. CT on the Pac-12 Networks. Mizzou returns home to play N.C. State on Saturday, Dec. 19, with action starting at 5 p.m. on the SEC Network.

For all the latest on Mizzou Men's Basketball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouHoops).