Missouri Gives Critics Best Answer

They were seeded 12th, but they were nobody’s darling.

Now the much-maligned Missouri Tigers are in the Sweet 16, and they await the winner of today’s UCLA-Cincinnati game in the NCAA West Regional semifinals Thursday at San Jose.

Two days after upsetting Miami, Missouri tore through fourth-seeded Ohio State on Saturday at the Pit, 83-67, in a game the Tigers led by 21 points at halftime.

“These are not upsets to us,” said Kareem Rush, who played with a prizefighter’s lip, ugly and swollen because he took 21 stitches after he was hit by an elbow in the Miami game.

Rush went down hard one time in particular, and was fouled on the play.

“My teammates told me not to let them see me hurt,” Rush said. “I got up and hit two free throws.”

Missouri (23-11) is a team that got up off the mat.

The Tigers started the season 9-0 and rose to No. 2 in the nation. Then they went 12-11--losing to Texas Tech by 23 in February.

Now they are toughened by criticism, and humbled into a group that works together.

“We kind of ran into a buzz saw,” Ohio State Coach Jim O’Brien said. “It’s hard for me to imagine they came in sixth in their league and lost 11 games.

“An understatement is that we were beaten by a much better team today. They were more physical, they were quicker and certainly they dominated the game on the backboards.”

The rebounding score was Missouri 52, Ohio State 28.

Rush had nine rebounds to go with his 17 points, but he made only two of nine three-point shots and is no longer the focal point of what has become an ensemble cast.

Guard Rickey Paulding had 20 points and nine rebounds and one spectacular breakaway tomahawk dunk.

“That’s just Rickey,” Rush said. “It probably wasn’t even his best move.”

Clarence Gilbert, the Tigers’ tough senior point guard, scored 16, made four of six three-pointers and had six assists.

Center Arthur Johnson had 14 points, many of them early as Missouri established its inside game to open up the outside.

Ohio State (24-8) became the second Big Ten team to go home, along with Michigan State.

Guard Brian Brown, who scored 33 against Davidson in the first round, was held to 19 and was 0 for 2 from long range.

Missouri rolls on, and might have played its best game Saturday.

Cinderellas don’t come from the Big 12 Conference, but Missouri will try to become the first team seeded 12th to reach a regional final.

Gonzaga, seeded 12th, made it to the Sweet 16 last year but did not go further.

“We’re putting everything together,” Rush said. “This team is becoming so special. It’s been a long and hard process, but the work we put in is paying off.”