Mizzou routs N. Carolina A&T

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- DeMarre Carroll scored 22 points and Missouri's pressure defense forced 25 turnovers Monday as the Tigers beat North Carolina A&T 94-66.

There was some doubt whether Carroll would even play due to an ankle injury that continues to give him trouble. But Carroll, who sat out last season after transferring from Vanderbilt, dominated the inside with 12 rebounds. The point total fell one short of his season-best 23 in Missouri's season-opening 87-76 win over Central Michigan. Most of his points came on layups and put-backs.

Leo Lyons scored 15 points for Missouri (8-3), including a twisting behind-the-head dunk on a second-half alley-oop pass that brought the small crowd (5,047) to its feet. Marshall Brown had 13. The run-and-gun Tigers topped 90 points for the fourth time this season.

Steven Rush led North Carolina A&T with 14 points and Thomas Coleman had 10. The Aggies (5-5) of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference lost for the third time in four games.

The game was frenetic and sloppy throughout the first half, with both teams having some success with their full-court pressure. The Tigers forced 16 first-half turnovers but shot 33 percent and led just 41-35 at the break. The misses included two failed dunks and two blown lay-ups.

Rush banked in a 3-pointer with 5:16 to go in the first half to put North Carolina A&T ahead 31-29.

Then Missouri took over, going on a 9-0 run with Carroll scoring six of the points, all on layups. The Tigers opened the second half on a 36-15 run to ice the win.

For Missouri, the game was a tuneup for Saturday's "Braggin' Rights" game against Illinois in St. Louis. The Illini have won seven straight in the series that dates to 1980.

NOTES: Missouri is 7-0 at home and has won 25 straight home games

against non-Big 12 opponents. ... North Carolina A&T was Missouri's first opponent after Mike Anderson took over as coach last season. Missouri won that game on Nov. 10, 2006, 101-80. ... Nearly half of North Carolina A&T's shots this season have been 3-pointers. But Missouri entered the game No. 1 in the nation defending 3-pointers, holding opponents to 22.9 percent shooting. The Aggies were 5-19 on 3s against Missouri (26.3 percent).