Mizzou avenges lopsided loss with 63-60 upset of No. 5 Gators

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Laurence Bowers had 17 points plus 10 rebounds and Missouri erased a 13-point deficit midway through the second half to rally past No. 5 Florida 63-60 on Tuesday night.

Phil Pressey added 10 assists, seven points, six rebounds and three steals for Missouri (19-7, 8-5 SEC). The Tigers didn't have Bowers a month ago in a 31-point blowout loss at Florida.

Mike Rosario had 14 points for Florida (21-4, 11-2) but missed a 3-point try at the buzzer. The Gators had won 13 of 14 and led 49-36 with 10:51 left, then hurt themselves at the foul line.

Florida missed five straight free throws in the second half, three times on the front end of one-and-ones. The slump ended when Rosario hit the second of two with 5:10 to go for a 54-50 lead.

The Gators made six of 12 foul shots overall. Missouri was 12 of 15.

Missouri’s Earnest Ross, right, celebrates with Alex Oriakhi, center, and Tony Criswell after Missouri defeated Florida 63-60 on Tuesday in Columbia, Mo. L.G. PattersonAssociated Press

The Tigers improved to 15-0 at home this season. They are 30-1 the last two seasons under coach Frank Haith.

Florida trailed by a point when Kenny Boynton missed a 3 with about eight seconds to go. Missouri's Keion Bell came up with the ball after it was tipped around and made two free throws with 3.1 seconds left.

Bowers' jumper from the key put Missouri up for good at 61-60 with 1:15 to go. Pressey's three-point play with 2:51 to go gave Missouri its first lead at 59-57. Scottie Wilkekin's 3 put Florida back up with about 1 1/2 minutes to go.

Pressey, whose ill-advised decisions have cost Missouri dearly on the road, didn't take a shot in the first half while getting two assists and three turnovers. He made his first shot from the wing with just over 14 minutes to go.

Pressey is just 1 for 23 on 3-pointers on the road in conference play, 10 for 26 at home.

Missouri’s Keion Bell pumps his fists during the second half Tuesday in Columbia, Mo. The Tigers won 63-60. (L.G. Patterson ~ Associated Press)

Two dazzling assists by Pressey, the second wrapping around a defender to set up Bowers' dunk, capped a 12-0 run that cut Florida's lead to 49-48 with 8:02 to go.

Florida, averaging an SEC-leading 10 3-pointers in conference play, was 4 for 6 the first 71/2 minutes while grabbing an 18-6 lead. The Gators made just one of their last 11 3-point attempts of the half, going scoreless the final 4:39 while Missouri ended with an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 29-26.