Tigers pick up long-awaited road win against Georgia

By STEVE WALENTIK of the Tribune's staff

Published on columbiatribune.com Saturday, January 3, 2009

Nick King photo

Misouri's J.T. Tiller scores over Georgia's Corey Butler in the first half.

•	Slide Show: Missouri 83, Georgia 76

ATHENS, Ga. — This was a victory the Missouri basketball team had been waiting more than five years to get.

Not since Dec. 6., 2003, when they topped Indiana in Bloomington, had the Tigers gone one the road against a team outside the Big 12 Conference and come away with a win, but that eight-game losing streak ended this afternoon with a 83-76 victory over Georgia in front of 8,060 spectators here at Stegeman Coliseum.

Nick King photo

Missouri's Zaire Taylor (11) sticks out his tounge after scoring late in the second half as Georgia's Trey Thompkins, left, looks on. Missouri won 83-76 Saturday at the Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Ga.

DeMarre Carroll and Zaire Taylor each scored 17 points to lead five Missouri players in double figures as the Tigers handed the Bulldogs only their second home loss of the season.

It was the Tigers’ defense that ultimately did in the Bulldogs. Ignited by a Keith Ramsey’s block on Zac Swansey, which stopped a layup with 10:59 left, Missouri (12-2) turned up its pressure and forced Georgia (9-5) into committing eight of its 23 turnovers in the last 11 minutes.

The Tigers, finally finding a rhythm on the offensive end a cold start, capitalized on nearly every one of the Bulldogs’ mistakes and began pulling away.

Taylor was key during the final push, scoring 11 of his season-high points in the last nine minutes.

J.T. Tiller, playing in front of more than 25 friends and family members, converted a three-point play in transition to put the Tigers ahead 68-56 with 4:48 left, and the lead grew to as many as 15 when DeMarre Carroll made the second of two free throws with 4:08 left.

The Tigers held off a final charge by Georgia, which pulled as close as five points in the closing minutes, to end an 18-year losing streak in Southeastern Conference arenas. Missouri hadn’t won a road game against an SEC opponent since beating Arkansas 87-76 on Dec. 7, 1991. Mike Anderson at the time was an assistant coach for the Razorbacks, who were then ranked 11th in the country.

Terrance Woodbury scored a game-high 27 points and was 5 for 8 from 3-point range in the loss.

Missouri plays Coppin State at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at Mizzou Arena.

Reach Steve Walentik at (573) 815-1788 or swalentik@tribmail.com.