COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) No. 20 Arizona looked polished and poised as it defeated Missouri for the third consecutive season, cruising to a 79-60 victory Saturday.
Rawle Alkins had 19 points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats, while Kobi Simmons had 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting and Kadeem Allen added 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
The Wildcats (8-2) jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first 3:12, eventually taking a 25-8 lead with 10:29 remaining in the first half. From that point, Missouri outscored Arizona 28-16 in the half, including a 7-0 run to end the half.
The Tigers (5-4) continued to chip away at Arizona's lead, eventually cutting the deficit to 45-41 early in the second half. However, the Wildcats responded with a 26-4 run that included a Missouri scoring drought of 6:59, halting any momentum the Tigers had mustered.
Kevin Puryear had 11 points and seven rebounds for Missouri. Leading scorer Frankie Hughes was held in check by the Wildcats' backcourt, scoring 10 points on 2-of-13 shooting.
