Feb. 13, 2002

Box Score

By DOUG ALDEN
AP Sports Writer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Kareem Rush scored a season-high 30 points as Missouri beat Nebraska 87-71 Wednesday night.

Clarence Gilbert added 14 points and Rickey Paulding scored 13 as the Tigers (18-7, 7-4) swept the season series for the second time in three years.

Missouri was 34-for-64 (53 percent) from the floor and never let Nebraska (11-11, 4-7) get closer than 10 in the second half.

Rush's previous season high was 29 on Saturday in an 81-80 loss to Baylor. He had 15 points at halftime and reached 30 on a jumper with 12 seconds left.

Rush, who had just eight points last month as the Tigers beat the Huskers 60-53 in the Big 12 opener for both schools, was averaging nearly 21 points a game in five previous games against Nebraska.

His 3-pointer with 6:16 left in the game gave the Tigers their first 20-point lead, putting them up 81-61 and all but ending the Huskers' hopes of a comeback.

John Robinson led Nebraska with 20 points. Wilson Thomas, a split end on Nebraska's football team, had 11 points and 11 rebounds in his first career start. Brian Conklin scored 12 and Cary Cochran finished with 10 points for the Huskers.

Cochran hit a 3-pointer that got Nebraska within 55-45 with 17:16 left in the second half, but that was as close as the Huskers got.

Nebraska couldn't take advantage of Missouri's foul trouble after the Tigers were called for their seventh foul early in the second half. The Huskers missed seven of their first 10 from the line while the Tigers pulled away by as much as 19.

The Tigers led 50-35 at halftime after going 19-for-33 (58 percent) from the floor. Rush's 15 points included five that started a 17-1 run to put Missouri up 27-11 midway through the half.

Robinson got Nebraska within 40-32 with a reverse layup, but Rush and Gilbert hit 3-pointers as the Tigers outscored the Huskers 10-3 to end the half.