SEC MEN : Georgia wilts under Missouri's pressure
Posted on Sunday, January 4, 2009
ATHENS, Ga. - Mike Anderson was encouraged to see his Missouri team force Georgia to commit 23 turnovers, but he said the best news was what happened next.
"I thought the defense caused problems for Georgia, but the great thing about those turnovers we made happen was we converted those into points," Anderson said.
Missouri outscored Georgia 30-14 in points off turnovers and beat the Bulldogs 83-76 on Saturday for the Tigers' best start in 10 years. Missouri (12-2) has its best record after 14 games since a 12-2 start in 1998-1999, Norm Stewart's last season as the Tigers coach.
DeMarre Carroll and Zaire Taylor scored 17 points each to lead the Tigers.
Missouri won its first nonconference game on an opponent's home court since Dec. 6, 2003, when the Tigers won at Indiana.
"We heard it from the older guys that they wanted to start off well on the road," Missouri freshman Marcus Denmon said.
It was Missouri's first road victory at an SEC school since the Tigers won at Arkansas in 1991, when Anderson was an assistant with the Razorbacks. Missouri had lost five consecutive road games at SEC schools since 1991.
After playing and coaching under Nolan Richardson at Tulsa and Arkansas, Anderson has installed a similar up-tempo style. Just as defense set the pace in Richardson's "40 minutes of hell," Missouri is among the nation's leaders in steals in what Missouri calls the "fastest 40 minutes in basketball."
Missouri had 10 steals, including three by J.T. Tiller of Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga.
Georgia (9-5) held its last lead at 46-45 early in the second half, but the Bulldogs wilted under Missouri's constant defensive pressure. Missouri took command with a 26-10 run for a 71-56 lead.
"With everybody in such good shape, we're going to keep beating a team down," said Keith Ramsey, who had two steals and two blocked shots. "It shows how tough we are that we can go win on the road."
Georgia senior captain Terrance Woodbury made five three-pointers and scored a career-high 27 points after missing four games because of an ankle injury. Freshman Trey Thompkins added 18 points.
Georgia point guards Zac Swansey and Dustin Ware combined for only three of the Bulldogs' 23 turnovers. Swansey had seven assists and two turnovers, but Corey Butler and Thompkins each committed four turnovers.
FLORIDA 68, N.C. STATE 66
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Nick Calathes scored 32 points and Dan Werner added 10 as Florida (12-2) rallied to beat North Carolina State.
Calathes scored 24 points in the second half as the Gators overcame a 10-point halftime deficit and won their sixth in a row.
Having survived a scoring drought that lasted 5:21, North Carolina State pulled to a 33-23 halftime lead. The Wolfpack tied the game at 15 when Brandon Costner hit a three-pointer with 8:20 remaining in the half. North Carolina State scored the next seven points.
Brandon Costner led North Carolina State with 24 points. Ben McCauley had 11 and Farnold Degand added 10.
ALABAMA 88, GEORGIA TECH 77
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Playing like he did during his all-conference season three years ago, Ronald Steele scored 23 points and had 10 assists to lead Alabama (10-3) past Georgia Tech (8-5).
Alabama used the fast break to jump out to a 19-point lead going into halftime and led by as many as 30 before the Yellow Jackets used a full-court press to rally in the final 10 minutes.
Steele was 5 of 8 from behind the threepoint line and used his speed to spark fast breaks, particularly in the first half.
Senario Hillman scored 18 points for Alabama, while Alonzo Gee had 15 points and 18 rebounds. JaMychal Green had 12 points and Justin Knox scored 10 for Alabama, which won its fifth consecutive game.
Lawal Gani had 23 points to lead Georgia Tech. Aminu Alade scored 21 points, Iman Shumpert 12 and Lewis Clinch 10.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 82, HOUSTON 65
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Phil Turner scored 16 points and Ravern Johnson added 14 to lead Mississippi State (9-5) over Houston (8-3).
Mississippi State shot 46.5 percent from the field (30 of 65) and hit 11 of 25 three-pointers. The Bulldogs held Houston to 27 percent shooting (21 of 76).
Turner finished 6 of 7 from the field, including 3 of 4 from behind the arc, while Johnson had 3 assists.
Romero Osby added 13 points for the Bulldogs, and Dee Bost chipped in 9 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds.
Kelvin Lewis scored 16 points to lead the Cougars.
MISSISSIPPI 53, NICHOLLS STATE 41
OXFORD, Miss. - David Huertas scored 14 points to lead Mississippi (9-5) over Nicholls State (6-6). The Rebels, who trailed 28-25 early in the second half, dominated the final 15 minutes with scoring runs of 13-2 and 12-2. Ole Miss shot 50 percent from the field (19 of 38).
Huertas and Murphy Holloway, who each scored 10 points, combined to go 8 of 12 from the field.
Nicholls State, relying heavily on the perimeter shot, was only 5 of 26 from three-point range and shot 31 percent from the field (15 of 49). Ryan Bathie and Anatoly Bose scored 10 each for the Colonels.
VANDERBILT 78, MASSACHUSETTS 48
AMHERST, Mass. - A.J. Ogilvy had 14 points and eight rebounds as Vanderbilt (11-3) blew things open in the second half and coasted to a victory over Massachusetts (5-8). Lance Goulbourne added 10 points and 8 rebounds, Jermaine Beal had 10 points and 6 assists, and Darshawn McClellan had 10 points to help Vanderbilt to its fifth consecutive victory. Chris Lowe had 14 points and three assists for Massachusetts.
AUBURN 78, TULANE 53
AUBURN, Ala. - DeWayne Reed scored 20 points to lead Auburn (10-4) to victory over Tulane (6-7). Korvotney Barber added 15 points and 10 rebounds as the Tigers won their seventh consecutive game. Tulane jumped out to a 10-0 lead before Frankie Sullivan scored to put Auburn on the board with 16:54 remaining in the first half. Behind its defense, Auburn tied the score at 20 before outscoring the Green Wave 28-10 in the final 12 minutes of the first half for a 40-27 halftime lead. Asim McQueen led Tulane with 16 points.
LSU 90, SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA 61
BATON ROUGE, LA. - Marcus Thornton scored a season-high 33 points as LSU (12-1) defeated Southeastern Louisiana (6-7). Thornton shot 11 of 17 from the field, including 4 of 7 on three-pointers. Tasmin Mitchell added 24 points and Bo Spencer 17 for the Tigers. Patrick Sullivan scored 17 points for Southeastern Louisiana with 17 points. Warrell Span had 12 points and Brandon Fortenberry scored 10.
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