“The magnitude of this game was absolutely nothing,” Snyder said, referring to the Saturday plane crash in Colorado that killed 10 people connected to Oklahoma State basketball.

Officials from both schools wore orange and black ribbons Oklahoma State’s colors in memory of their colleagues and friends.

Of little magnitude the game may have been, but Snyder sure liked the Tigers’ attitude after Kansas had erased a 17-point Missouri lead during a six-minute stretch of the second half.

“The most significant thing about this game is what we did after they made the run,” Snyder said. “We’d been playing individually and we responded collectively. That’s what happens when you play together.”

Basically, the Tigers stopped relying on Kareem Rush and Clarence Gilbert, the only two MU players averaging in double figures in points, and found the open man. Mostly, it was senior guard Brian Grawer who hit three three-pointers following the Kansas run.

“I feel if I get open looks I’m going to knock them in,” Grawer said. “My teammates fed me and they set screens for me to get open looks.”

Grawer’s threes seemed to inject new life into the Tigers.

“That’s the story of this young group of guys,” Snyder said. “Runs are going to come and it depends on when you put your foot down.”

Grawer produced the key baskets, but it was 27 points and 11 rebounds from Rush that carried the Tigers throughout. It was Rush’s high-water mark of the season, Snyder said.

“It was his best because he competed,” Snyder said. “It wasn’t just his jump shot. He was mad when somebody didn’t rotate on Kenny Gregory, too. He did all the little things.”

For his part, Rush felt Snyder’s eyes boring into him.

“Coach looked at me and gave me the eye like, ‘It’s your game,'” Rush said. “My drive was there and my shot was falling.”

Rush is from Kansas City, Mo., so he knows all about the Kansas-Missouri rivalry.

“I’ll never forget this win,” he said. “This is the win of my lifetime. Not to take anything away from last year’s win, but this one was momentous because I was part of it.”

Rush didn’t play in last year’s game in Columbia because he was sitting out an NCAA suspension.