Missouri 66, Western Michigan 60

[December 16, 2013]  COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri 66, Western Michigan 60: Jabari Brown scored 15 points as the Tigers held off the visiting Broncos to keep their undefeated season alive.

Earnest Ross added 12 points and seven rebounds and Jordan Clarkson contributed 12 points and five assists as Missouri clinched the school’s third 10-0 start in the last 32 years. Tony Criswell added 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting off the bench.

David Brown went 1-for-10 from 3-point range but found his way to 18 points to lead Western Michigan (5-4), which dropped to 0-2 on its stretch of three straight road games. Shayne Whittington collected 16 points and 10 rebounds and Connar Tava scored 10 for the Broncos.

The Tigers held Western Michigan to 26.5 percent shooting in the first half and ended the period with a 7-0 burst to take a 31-22 lead into the break. Western Michigan quickly got back into it in the second, cutting the deficit to 35-33 on Austin Richie’s 3-pointer less than three minutes into the period.

It was still a two-point game midway through the half when Wes Clark’s 3-pointer sparked an 11-1 run that put Missouri in control. Clarkson’s 3-pointer with 4:16 to play made it a 61-52 gap and the Tigers held on the rest of the way.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Missouri extended the nation’s longest home-winning streak to 25 games. … Western Michigan shot 30 percent but stayed in the game by forcing 14 turnovers. … Broncos G Taylor Perry went scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting but grabbed 11 rebounds.

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