Tigers dump Huskers

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Marcus Denmon was feeling it Saturday, pouring in a career-high 24 points to lead Missouri past Nebraska 74-59.

Denmon, who had 22 points against Colorado on Feb. 6 but only two against Texas on Wednesday, said it just happened to be his day to lead the Tigers.

"Some teams struggle if one of their guys isn't scoring. That isn't the way we are," Denmon said. "It can be anybody for us. Today, I was hitting the shots quick. I work on that. It's something I like to do, as soon as I get open, to make them pay for it."

Denmon had 13 of his points in the second half when Missouri took control, breaking open a close game in the middle of the period and then pulling away for the win.

"I thought we really played well today," Missouri coach Mike Anderson said. "We shot the ball well. Our defense has been constant, but today was one of those days where we shot to the ball. ... The thing I liked, we're starting to become a second-half team."

Nebraska's Jorge Brian Diaz (21) tries to get the ball out in front of Missouri's Zaire Taylor, right, and Keith Ramsey on Saturday.

Missouri (20-7, 8-4) trailed 39-38 when Zaire Taylor hit a jumper with 17 minutes, 7 seconds remaining that gave the Tigers the lead they never relinquished.

Nebraska (13-14, 1-11) managed just three baskets in the next 5 1/2 minutes against the tight Missouri man-to-man defense.

The Tigers outscored the Huskers 16-6 during that stretch. Denmon made a 3-pointer to put the Tigers up 54-45, then turned a steal into a short jumper to give Missouri a 56-45 lead with 11:29 left.

"I hit that 3, then we like to try to find offense off our defense," Denmon said. "The defense gets us going."

The Tigers defense shut down Nebraska the rest of the game.

The Huskers cut the Missouri lead to nine on Christian Standhardinger's basket with 11:17 remaining, but did not cut their deficit below double figures again. Nebraska went more than eight minutes without a field goal late in the game before Ryan Anderson hit a 3-pointer with 51 seconds left.

"They got after us about as well as anybody who has played us," Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said. "We didn't handle the pressure well."

Nebraska held Missouri without a field goal for the first four minutes of the game, opening a double-digit lead behind Anderson, who drained two of his five first-half 3-pointers and hit a short jumper to put the Huskers up 11-1.

"Coach got on me after that," said Taylor, who had been guarding Anderson. "He was all over me. That wakes you up as a player. I knew I had to go out and stop him."

The Tigers countered with an 18-3 run, holding Nebraska to one field goal in a 7 1/2 minute stretch. Missouri took a 19-14 lead on Taylor's 3-pointer with 9:19 remaining. The Tigers led 35-33 at half.

Missouri has won four of its last five games and moved into the top four in the Big 12 Conference.