Columbia, Mo. ? Missouri’s House of Horrors hexed Kansas once again on Monday night.
“This is sort of difficult. I’ve not gotten a win here yet. Every time you come here it’s a war and it was like that again tonight. It came down to the last play again and we didn’t get it done,” KU junior basketball forward Paul Pierce said.
His turnover while driving the lane on Kansas’ final foiled possession was KU’s last offensive play in the No. 3 Jayhawks’ 74-73 loss to Missouri, their third straight loss at jam-packed Hearnes Center and fourth in five seasons.
Pierce, who scored seven straight points for KU down the stretch after re-entering the game with four fouls with 4:32 left, had the ball at the top of the key with seven seconds left, KU down 74-73.
“I like my chances when our All-American has the ball in his hands with seven seconds left,” KU point guard Ryan Robertson said.
He had the option of passing the ball on KU’s final possession to Pierce or Billy Thomas, who both were coming off screens.
Robertson chose Pierce, who dashed through the middle of the lane, making contact with massive Tiger center Monte Hardge. Pierce felt contact on his arm from Tiger John Woods, but there was no call as the ball squirted free into the hands of MU’s Jeff Hafer, who grabbed the steal and ran out the clock on MU’s 10th win in 17 tries.
“I got the ball and their defense collapsed,” Pierce said. “I took a couple dribbles and felt Monte Hardge’s hip. I felt I was grabbed on the arm (by Woods). Nobody knocked the ball away. I thought I was fouled, but no excuses.
“I definitely want the ball at the end with a chance to win the game. Unfortunately I didn’t get a shot off. No excuses. I lost the ball. We lost the game.”
KU (21-3, 5-1 Big 12), which battled back from a 65-60 deficit at 5:11, led 73-72 as Eric Chenowith toed the line for two free throws with :24.2 left. Chenowith missed both.
“I shot them like any other free throws. They just didn’t fall,” said Chenowith, who went 0-for-8 from the field and 2-for-4 from the line, good for two points with 11 boards. “This stings a lot. The game was in my hands with 20 seconds to go and I blew it at the free throw line.”
Not exactly, coach Roy Williams said.
“I told Eric his two free throws were no different from Ryan’s or anybody’s,” Williams said.
Robertson, who scored 18 points and had five assists, missed two free throws when MU coach Norm Stewart was whistled for a technical foul with 8:11 left, KU down, 57-53.
“I was trying to call a play (when Chenowith was fouled). We were going to try to spread the court and keep the ball in Ryan’s hands, but Missouri immediately fouled Eric. I just have to coach better,” Williams added.
Williams approved of the final play.
“Ryan had Billy off a screen and Paul off a screen. He went to Paul. Missouri’s defense swarmed him. All of a sudden Missouri was running out with the ball. Everybody on our bench was yelling foul. Everybody on their side said, ‘Great play.’ It’s the nature of the game,” Williams said.
Williams said a key to the game was KU’s inability to score on the inside. KU hit 8 of 17 threes. Earl, Chenowith and T.J. Pugh combined for just 10 tallies on 3-of-13 shooting.
“It got to the point we were content shooting jump shots,” Williams said. “They were getting two footers. At the end Paul made some plays, so did they.”
Kansas held a comfortable 36-25 lead with 3:50 left in the first half. However, Missouri went on a 9-0 run to slice the gap to 36-34 at 1:47. Jeff Grawer hit a three, while John Woods, Kelly Thames and Albert White (career-high 23 points) had two points in the spree.
The Jayhawks did manage a 41-36 lead at halftime, thanks to Robertson, who hit one of his three first-half threes and Kenny Gregory who canned a two pointer at :41.
Robertson led the way for KU with 11 points on 3-of-4 three-point shooting the first half. Thomas had 10 points on 2-of-4 three point shooting.
Meanwhile, Chenowith had eight rebounds as KU took a 25-11 rebound advantage into halftime. Kelly Thames, who tumbled into press row for a loose ball, had 10 points as MU hit 38.7 percent the first half to KU’s 50 percent mark.
Pierce opened with four points and Thomas three as KU led 9-2 just three minutes into the game. Pierce had six points as the Jayhawks held a 13-5 lead at 15:36.
KU led 17-9 at 11:57. However White scored five points and Dibi Ray two and MU trimmed the deficit to 17-16 at 10:39.
Gregory and Pierce scored baskets and KU upped the lead to 21-16. KU led 26-20 when Pierce picked up his third foul at 6:33.d five points and Dibi Ray two and MU trimmed the deficit to 17-16 at 10:39.
Gregory and Pierce scored baskets and KU upped the lead to 21-16. KU led 26-20 when Pierce picked up his third foul at 6:33.
