Phil Pressey leads Missouri to 81-63 win against Mercer

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Phil Pressey scored a career-best 22 points with four assists and five steals, helping No. 24 Missouri beat Mercer 81-63 on Monday.

Kim English added 18 points and Michael Dixon contributed 14 points. Missouri (2-0) used its speed to force 14 steals. Dixon and Pressey combined for 18 points in the Tigers' first game against Southeast Missouri State on Friday.

Missouri extended its school-record winning streak over nonconference opponents at home to 60 games in the first round of the CBE Classic.

Missouri built a 16-point lead at the break and pushed it to 61-39 midway through the second half before Mercer used a 14-2 run to get within 10 points, capitalizing on Missouri's 10 turnovers in the second half.

"When we get a lead like we had, we have to learn not to take plays off," first-year Missouri coach Frank Haith said.

Jibri Bryan led Mercer (1-1) with 19 points off the bench in the second game of his career.

Mercer, picked to finish in the middle of the Atlantic Sun Conference, started one senior and four sophomores.

Missouri leads the series, 4-0. It was the first time the schools met since 1996.