Missouri 78, Northwestern 67: Jordan Clarkson scored 21 points and the undefeated Tigers used a big run to start the second half to knock off the Wildcats in the season coaching debut of Frank Haith at the Las Vegas Invitational.
Haith, suspended for five games by the NCAA for failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance while coaching at Miami, watched his Tigers start the second half on a 14-0 run to erase a 39-34 halftime lead. Jabari Brown had 15 points and nine rebounds for Missouri (6-0) while Ryan Rosburg and Johnathan Williams III both scored 14.
JerShon Cobb had 16 of his game-high 22 points in the first half for Northwestern (4-2). The Wildcats got just two points from leading scorer Drew Crawford, who sat out the entire second half with a left shoulder injury.
Brown hit three 3-pointers in an extended 28-13 run in the second half. Following his third long-range bomb he picked off a pass and threw a behind-the-back feed to Clarkson, who finished the break with a slam dunk to extend the Tigers’ lead to 66-52 with 9:24 to play.
Aside from losing Crawford, the Wildcats also dealt with severe foul problems in the second half. Center Alex Olah picked up his fourth foul just 1:38 into the second stanza and, in turn, Northwestern was no match for Missouri on the boards, getting outrebounded 35-21.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Northwestern had eight assists and only two turnovers. …Haith is now 10-0 in season openers. …Nathan Taphorn had a career-high 11 points off the bench for Northwestern.
