Kansas State University Athletics
Kansas State University
Missouri
Kansas State Falls At No. 21 Missouri, 71-63
Feb 15, 2003 | Men's Basketball
By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Arthur Johnson had 14 points and a season-best 17rebounds, and No. 21 Missouri held Kansas State without a basket for more than8? minutes down the stretch in a 71-63 victory Saturday.
Rickey Paulding added 19 points and six rebounds and Travon Bryant had acareer-best 15 points and four blocked shots for Missouri, which rebounded froma two-point loss at Texas A&M on Wednesday. The Tigers (15-6, 6-4 Big 12) are12-0 at home, including five conference victories.
Frank Richards equaled his career best with 20 points for Kansas State(12-11, 3-7), which has lost five of its last six - four to Top 25opponents.The Wildcats have dropped 13 straight Big 12 games on the road, aslump dating to last season, and 23 in a row on the road to ranked teams.
Johnson, who has 14 double-doubles, added five assists and two blockedshots. He missed his career best for rebounds by two, accomplished at Coloradoon Jan. 10, 2001.
Jarrett Hart hit from the key with 12:57 to go to cut the gap to 50-47, thelast basket for the Wildcats until Tim Ellis connected with 4:20 left. KansasState had six free throws during the drought and Missouri scored nine straightpoints at one point.
Kansas State narrowed the deficit to 67-63 on a hook shot by Matt Siebrandtwith 1:24 left before Missouri finished off the Wildcats with four free throws.Siebrandt added 14 points.
An early 13-0 run, featuring two 3-pointers by Paulding and five straightpoints at the end from Bryant, put Missouri in control at 21-10 with 10:41 leftin the first half. Kansas State kept it close by scoring the last six points ofthe half, cutting the margin to 37-33.
