Tigers shoot down Kansas St.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Thomas Gardner scored all but three of his 16 points in the second half, including three 3-pointers that spurred a long-range attack, helping lift Missouri to a 62-53 victory over Kansas State on Saturday.

The Tigers were 1-for-11 from 3-point range in the first half but 6-for-11 the rest of the way. Missouri hit only 3-pointers, making six of them to go with four free throws, in a 16-minute stretch that ended on Arthur Johnson's shot from the baseline with 2:11 to go.

The Tigers (9-8, 4-3 Big 12) rebounded from a 13-point loss at Colorado on Wednesday despite another off-game from leading scorer Rickey Paulding, who had nine points. They also won with a short bench, doing without forward Linas Kleiza (dislocated shoulder) and point guard Randy Pulley (disciplinary suspension).

Paulding, who averages 15.9 points, was 4-for-12 and is 7-for-24 his past two games. Kleiza will be out two weeks and Pulley was suspended after skipping practice on Friday, two days after he did not play at Colorado.

Jarrett Hart had a career-best 20 points for Kansas State, doubling his average. The Wildcats (9-8, 1-5) have lost 19 straight Big 12 games on the road dating to a 72-67 victory at Colorado on March 3, 2001.

Kansas State also has dropped 20 in a row to Missouri in the Hearnes Center and eight of nine to the Tigers overall. And the Wildcats have lost 14 straight on the road overall dating a victory at Wichita State on Dec. 14, 2002, including an 0-5 record this year.

Johnson added 13 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots for Missouri.