Tom Loeffler
Tom Loeffler is a sports columnist for connectmidmissouri.com and KRCG.
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Like getting another tie for your birthday, this was almost expected.
But this time, no disappointment. The tie looks pretty good, after all.
On Jan. 3 at Mizzou Arena, Missouri laughed Oklahoma out of Columbia, 87-49.
There's a fine line between OU and PU. On that day, the Sooners crossed it.
Then there's this: Saturday night at Mizzou Arena, the Tigers played before an overflow, passionate, emotional and frenzied crowd in a 74-71 win over Kansas.
This was the M-I-Z ... Bye-K-U game. This was simply amazing.
Monday night in Norman, Okla. --- less than 48 hours later --- it was a small, quiet, polite crowd, like they were trying to show respect for their fellow man who might be reading a book or taking a nap.
The contrast was like a honeymoon in Hawaii or Arkansas.
But the No. 4 Tigers (22-2, 9-2 Big 12) found a way, using a 19-4 burst midway through the game before holding off the Sooners, 71-68.
"On the road, it's hard to win and I explained that to our team," Tigers coach Frank Haith said. "It's not easy, but we'll take it anyway we can get it.
"It wasn't pretty, but obviously this was a gutsy win for us."
The Tigers were flat-footed on the defensive end in the first half, before compiling a 13-4 run to take a 36-33 lead at the break. They then scored the first six points of the second half --- all by Marcus Denmon --- to make it 42-33.
This was a 19-4 run. This was the difference.
"We started to execute and we got some loose balls," Haith said. "We didn't rebound well all night ... they really hurt us on the boards.''
OU held a 36-22 edge on the boards. That would be a hurting.
In the first meeting, the Sooners (13-10, 3-8) went home without a fight. This time, however --- at home --- they fought back.
OU was within 68-66 when Kim English broke free for a 3-point attempt with 57 seconds left.
Bang! (Credit here to Mike Kelly.)
71-66.
"That was big," Haith said "because that made it a two-possession game."
The Sooners got back within 71-68 on two free throws by Andrew Fitzgerald with 44 seconds left. After an empty possession by the Tigers, the Sooners got it back with 5 seconds left and a chance to tie.
The Tigers fouled Romero Osby with 2.5 seconds left.
"We wanted to foul once they got the ball across halfcourt," Haith said. "We fouled a little early."
Speaking of PU ... the Sooners were a dreadful 9-of-23 from the charity stripe. These weren't free throws, these were penalty shots.
Osby missed the first attempt and intentionally missed the second. The ball bounced to Steven Pledger --- who had been 5-of-8 on 3-pointers --- for an open 3-pointer.
Off the mark.
No tie, thanks.
"They tipped it right to Pledger," Haith said, "but fortunately, he missed it."
Pledger finished with 22 points, while Sam Grooms totaled 17 points 10 assists for the losers.
Denmon, named the Big 12 Player of the Week on Monday, led the Tigers with 25 points --- he's scored 54 in the last two games --- while Ricardo Ratliffe was 6-of-6 from the floor, scored 15 points and had 10 rebounds --- almost half of Missouri's total.
"He was pretty good," Haith said of Ratliffe. "Obviously, he took good shots and he rebounded the ball."
Michael Dixon chipped in 15 points and Phil Pressey had seven of the team's 19 assists for the Tigers, who shot a sizzling 56 from the floor.
"We've done that all year," Haith said. "When we ran our offense and we did our deal, we shared the ball and got good shots.
"We were pretty efficient, offensively."
Next up for Missouri: No. 6 Baylor --- which plays at Kansas on Wednesday night --- at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Mizzou Arena.
"Our team should be very proud of where they're at ... I don't want them to feel bad about a tough road win," Haith said.
"It was a great win for us, I just want our guys to keep their heads up and continue to get better."
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