Missouri advances in Big 12 tournament

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- They know they'll never win a Big 12 regular-season championship. A one-point overtime loss at Kansas last month settled that.

So as the No. 5 Missouri Tigers head out the door to the Southeastern Conference, they're chasing the Big 12 tournament title as a way of waving a not-so-fond farewell to Big 12 brethren resentful of the way they helped turn the conference upside down.

Oklahoma State paid the price Thursday night.

Kim English scored 21 of his 27 points in the first 20 minutes and set in motion the Tigers' 88-70 thrashing of the Cowboys in the Big 12 quarterfinals.

"We want this as bad as we wanted the Big 12," said English, who's been engaging Kansas coach Bill Self and Kansas fans in verbal back-and-fourth jousting this week. "That's why our loss [at Kansas] hurt so bad. It was the Big 12 championship game. We just want to win a championship. It's not a chip on our shoulder."

Missouri guard Marcus Denmon celebrates a basket against Oklahoma State during their quarterfinal game in the Big 12 Conference tournamentThursday in Kansas City, Mo. Denmon scored 24 points in Missouri’s 88-70 win.Orlin WagnerAssociated Press

English led a 26-5 run in the first half, Marcus Denmon added 24 points and Phil Pressey had 12 assists, one short of a school record for the Tigers (28-4).

Many fans are hoping for a showdown with archrival and No. 3 Kansas in the title game Saturday.

"We are in Kansas City, Mo.," Denmon said. "This is home for me. Missouri fans come out well, too."

The Tigers outrebounded the Cowboys (15-18) 40-20.

"We were slow motion," Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford said. "They were fast motion."

The game-seizing run in the first half, Ford said, started with Missouri's defense.

"Their defense was just stifling. They played with such great energy. We were tired. I could see it. They're a veteran, experienced, physically tough basketball team. They might not be the tallest team, but they are a physical team. We're just the opposite. We're young. And they were playing to their strengths. Their defense led to offense."

English had 21 of his points in the rapid-fire first half that ended with Missouri on top 49-24. Denmon, a two-time All-Big 12 guard, had 17 points in the second half.

Keiton Page had 22 points for Oklahoma State, and Brian Williams had 21.

"We fought adversity against one of the best teams in America that was playing great," Ford said. "When they're playing to their strength, there are not many teams better in this country."

It was 6-6 when English drilled a long 3-pointer and set the rout in motion against one of the four teams that beat Missouri during the regular season. English had 10 points in a 15-0 spree to stake the Tigers to a 21-6 lead.

English had 21 points and had personally outscored the Cowboys with 3 minutes, 8 seconds left in the half.

OSU trailed 41-17 after English grabbed Matt Pressey's pass and dropped it through the net for his ninth field goal. Phil Pressey at that point had eight assists and five steals in just six minutes.

Denmon, a two-time All-Big 12 guard, scored 13 straight points for the Tigers in the second half, getting a three-point play and then knocking in 3-point shots on each of the next two possessions to make it 70-41.

Michael Dixon had 13 points for Missouri, which shot 66.7 percent in the first half and 59 percent for the game.

"Our intensity level was very high," Missouri coach Frank Haith said. "These guys fought hard."