Dominion Board Game

Denmon leads No. 8 Missouri past Old Dominion

01.01.70

NORFOLK, Va. | The house was rocking, Missouri was on the ropes and, well, let&#x2019;s just admit it &#x2014; the haters were smirking.</p><p>Those who questioned whether the Tigers were really as good as their No. 8 ranking had a little ammunition Friday night as Missouri, which ran up its perfect record by feasting primarily on weaker teams, trailed a struggling mid-major program late in the second half of their first real road test of the season.</p><p>The Tigers, however, would get the last laugh. Led by star senior guard Marcus Denmon, who scored 17 of his game-high 19 points in the second half &#x2014; including a go-ahead three pointer &#x2014; Missouri&#x2019;s veteran cast vanquished the persistent Old Dominion Monarchs in a 75-68 victory in front of a fired-up crowd of 8,460 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.</p><p>&#x201C;We understand that as long as you stick with it and be tough on the road, shots will eventually fall,&#x201D; Denmon said.</p><p>Denmon, Missouri&#x2019;s leading scorer at 19 points per game, was living proof of that Friday. After scoring a total of 15 points in his previous two games, Denmon struggled in the first half, making one of six shots.</p><p>He wasn&#x2019;t the only Tiger struggling. Old Dominion crashed the boards and limited Missouri&#x2019;s looks in transition and from the three-point line, which played a part in the Monarchs&#x2019; 35-33 halftime lead.</p><p>&#x201C;We left a lot of points on the board,&#x201D; Denmon said.</p><p>But the Tigers, 2-7 on the road last season, summoned their mental toughness &#x2014; the kind that seniors provide, the kind that allows a team to win on the road despite being outrebounded 41-31, missing nine free throws and trailing at various points late in the game.</p><p>&#x201C;That experience (they have), there&#x2019;s no substitute for it,&#x201D; said Old Dominion coach Blaine Taylor, whose team dropped to 6-7 after making the NCAA Tournament a season ago. &#x201C;They&#x2019;re certainly a team that&#x2019;s been through the paces.&#x201D;</p><p>Missouri opened the second half by ripping off a 20-7 run that briefly silenced the home crowd, but Old Dominion fought back for a 62-60 lead with 3 1/2 minutes left in the game.</p><p>That&#x2019;s when the Tigers&#x2019; upperclassmen went to work. Junior guard Mike Dixon converted a three-point play that gave Missouri the lead, and Ricardo Ratliffe, who had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, answered Old Dominion baskets on the Tigers&#x2019; next two possessions and the score was tied 67-67.</p><p>Then, finally, a stop. Sophomore guard Phil Pressey stole the ball, sped down the court and found a suddenly-hot Denmon, who drilled a three-pointer from the wing that put Missouri ahead 70-67 with 54 seconds left.</p><p>&#x201C;The play before in transition, I saw there was an opening there,&#x201D; Denmon said. &#x201C;The second time, I went to the spot I was supposed to be and took a shot I make 1,000 times a week.&#x201D;</p><p>When asked if that was the shot he wanted &#x2014; it was a quick shot, one that resembled a few bad threes his team had missed throughout the course of the game &#x2014; Missouri coach Frank Haith was diplomatic.</p><p>&#x201C;What do you want me to say? He made it,&#x201D; Haith said with a laugh. &#x201C;I have a lot of confidence in Marcus. We&#x2019;ll take that shot most nights.&#x201D;</p><p>Old Dominion tried to answer, but it turned the ball over its next time down the court. The Monarchs quickly fouled Denmon, who made two clutch free throws. Dixon added a free throw, and Phil Pressey followed with a layup that locked up the victory.</p><p>Missouri improved to 13-0 entering Tuesday&#x2019;s Big 12 opener against Oklahoma and finished undefeated in its nonconference schedule for the first time since the 1972-73 season. That didn&#x2019;t impress everyone Friday night in Virginia.</p><p>&#x201C;You&#x2019;re still not that good,&#x201D; an Old Dominion fan yelled at Haith after the game. &#x201C;You&#x2019;re overrated!&#x201D;</p><p>Haith, who was walking off the court, heard the comment, smirked and pointed at the fan. And why not? His team was tested, for real this time, and while the Tigers didn&#x2019;t ace it, they did pass. </p><p>And everyone, even Old Dominion&#x2019;s coach, could see how much joy the Tigers took in it.</p><p>&#x201C;I think you saw how excited they were after they won,&#x201D; Taylor said. &#x201C;They knew they accomplished something. They got put to the test pretty good.&#x201D;</p><p><hr class="infobox-hr-separator" /> <div class="infobox"> @ Go to <strong>KansasCity.com</strong> for more photos from Friday night&#x2019;s game.</p><p></div>

Source: Kansas City Star