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Kim English insists he doesn't pay much attention when the home
crowd collectively gasps with anticipation each time he touches the
ball.
He's also not fazed when the Missouri public-address
announcer heightens the excitement with cries of ``Time for English
class!''
The 6-foot-6 sophomore from Baltimore, the Tigers' leading
scorer, always keeps things in perspective - as he did Wednesday
night, when he scored 18 points to help lead Missouri to an 82-77
upset of No. 15 Texas.
``It's still a game,'' he said. ``It's supposed to be fun.''
English relied on an array of crowd-pleasing moves during an
11-point scoring flurry over six minutes early in the second half
that helped break open a tight game. He hit a 3-pointer from the
top of the key, a left-handed layup, an acrobatic double-clutch and
two free throws after he was fouled on a hard drive.
He capped the display with an alley-oop to 6-foot-1 Michael
Dixon, who converted the shot and subsequent free throw after being
fouled. Only later did English confess that he thought his teammate
soaring to the basket was 6-foot-8 forward Laurence Bowers.
``I didn't know it was him when I threw that pass,'' English
said.
Keith Ramsey added 12 points and 11 rebounds for his first
career double-double for Missouri. Jordan Hamilton led the
Longhorns (20-6, 6-5) with 24 points off the bench and Damion James
added 18 points and 11 rebounds as the team ranked No. 1 for two
weeks in mid-January lost for the sixth time in nine games and fell
into a sixth-place tie in the Big 12.
Missouri (19-7, 7-4) raced to an 8-0 lead in the first two
minutes as Texas turned the ball over on its first three
possessions. The gap grew to 11-1 less than three minutes in,
giving Missouri enough of a cushion to take a 32-31 halftime lead
despite shooting just 30 percent for the half and making only one
of its nine 3-point attempts.
Texas took a one-point lead early in the second half as the
teams traded points with six lead changes before English's scoring
binge. Missouri led by 12 before Texas made three 3-pointers in the
final 44 seconds.
Missouri coach Mike Anderson called English's performance
``the most productive 23 minutes he's played here.''
``He let the game come to him,'' Anderson said.
Missouri, which often relies on the 3-point shot as its
primary offensive weapon, won despite tying its season low with
just two treys on 13 attempts. The Tigers average eight 3-pointers
per game on 38 percent shooting from outside the arc.
Texas center Dexter Pittman, at 6-foot-10 the tallest player
on the court, didn't attempt a field goal and was held to just two
points and four rebounds. He spent much of the second half on the
bench in foul trouble. Pittman also had several turnovers on
traveling calls fighting through Missouri's double-team defense.
``He's playing way too fast and not getting himself ready,''
Texas coach Rick Barnes said of Pittman, who came in averaging 10.8
points and 6.1 rebounds.
Ramsey, hobbled by a sprained ankle and held scoreless the
past two games, had two of his biggest rebounds on consecutive
putbacks under the four-minute mark give Missouri a comfortable
cushion. Michael Dixon added 13 points for Missouri, which moves
into a three-way tie for third place in the Big 12 with Baylor and
Texas A&M.
Texas committed 18 turnovers and attempted just two free
throws in the second half after converting eight of 17 in the first
half. The Longhorns, who made 46.2 percent of their shots compared
to 43.1 percent for Missouri, lost for the first time this season
when shooting better than their opponent.
Freshman Avery Bradley added 15 points and seven rebounds for
the Longhorns.
A weary-looking James said the Longhorns have no choice but
to look ahead. They visit Texas Tech on Saturday and have five
remaining conference games to get out of their funk.
``It's tough,'' he said. ``We shouldn't be in this position.
But we're not going to hold our heads down. We're going to fight.''
The win was the Tigers' third straight over Texas, the
longest such streak since Norm Stewart patrolled the sidelines at
Missouri more than a decade ago.
