NASHVILLE, Tenn. - For the second time in as many games, two Tigers recorded career-high point totals, but it was not quite enough for Mizzou Men's Basketball (8-16, 1-10 SEC) in an 86-71 setback at Vanderbilt (14-10, 6-5 SEC), Wednesday night.
Senior forward Ryan Rosburg (Chesterfield, Mo.) recorded his first career double-double and set his career-high for the second-straight game, scoring 24 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field, while grabbing a season-best 11 rebounds. Off the bench, sophomore forward Jakeenan Gant (Springfield, Ga.) scored a career-high 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting (2-of-3 3PT).
Sophomore guard Namon Wright (Los Angeles, Calif.) and freshman forward Kevin Puryear (Blue Springs, Mo.) joined Rosburg and Gant in double figures, contributing 11 and 10 points, respectively. Puryear grabbed seven rebounds in the contest, while junior guard Wes Clark (Detroit, Mich.) dished out a team-high six assists.
The Tigers fell behind early, yielding 15 of the game's first 17 points. A 7-2 Mizzou run led by four points from Gant brought the Commodores' lead back to single digits, but the Tigers could not push the deficit any lower in the first half, trailing by 19 at the break.
Mizzou got as close as 13 three times in the final six minutes of the game, thanks to 15 second-half points from Rosburg and 10 from Gant, but Vanderbilt kept its distance down the stretch for the 86-71 win.
Mizzou returns home to face Tennessee on Saturday, Feb. 13, at 2 p.m. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
The Tigers' matchup with the Volunteers is the first-ever Rally For Rhyan Game, organized to raise awareness for pediatric cancer in support of assistant coach Brad Loos' five-year old daughter, Rhyan, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in October.
Fans will be offered free general admission with a cash donation of any amount at the gate. All donations will benefit pediatric cancer research in honor of Rhyan Loos' ongoing fight. Already slated as Mizzou's Gold Rush Game, head coach Kim Anderson's Tigers will now wear Gold in support of the cause.
