Slow Start Costs NIU Game
(WSCR) - Northern Illinois had a rough start facing the Missouri Tigers. They finished the first half scoring only 17 points. A second-half push showed the Huskies could compete but they had already fallen too far behind.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Marcus Denmon scored 24 points to lead No. 9 Missouri to a 97-61 blowout victory over Northern Illinois on Monday night.
Matt Pressey added a career-high 18 points for Missouri (12-1), which scored the first 17 points of the game and held the largest halftime lead against a Division I opponent in school history at 40-points. The Tigers connected on 69 percent of their shots in the opening frame and scored a season-best 57 points.
It was 100th win for coach Mike Anderson, who became the fastest coach in program history to reach that mark, needing just 147 games.
Laurence Bowers finished with 16 points and 5 assists and Ricardo Ratliffe scored 14 and had 7 rebounds for Missouri, who had five players in double figures.
Tim Toller scored 13 points to lead Northern Illinois (3-7).
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