Davidson hands Tigers first loss in new arena

Missouri suffered its first loss, as the Wildcats won their season opener 84-81

By R.B. Fallstrom ~ The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Matt McKillop scored a career high 28 points and Davidson got away with squandering all but one point of a 19-point lead on the road in a 84-81 victory over Missouri on Friday night.

Davidson (1-0) was 10-for-18 from 3-point range to win its season opener for the first time since 1996-97. It was the first meeting between the two teams. In the process, the Wildcats handed Missouri (2-1) its first loss in the new Paige Sports Arena.

McKillop, son of Davidson coach Bob McKillop, was 5-for-8 from 3-point range and made eight of 12 shots overall. His previous best was 24 points last season against East Tennessee State.

Davidson shot 60 percent overall and outrebounded Missouri 36-26.

Linas Kleiza had a career-best 25 points and six rebounds for Missouri, which won its first two home games over Brown and Houston in the Guardians Classic by a combined 24 points. Besides erasing 18 points of the 19-point deficit, the Tigers whittled a late 13-point Davidson lead to two before faltering at the end.

Brendan Winters scored 10 of his 19 points in just under three minutes, and his 3-pointer with 12:50 left put Davidson ahead 58-39 -- a 19-point lead that matched the Wildcats' largest of the game.

Missouri responded with a 23-5 run, getting nine points from Jason Conley and eight from Kleiza. Thomas Gardner's steal and 3-pointer cut the deficit to 63-62 with 7:12 remaining.

Davidson appeared to have put the game away for the second time when it answered with 12 straight points, five by Kenny Grant, for a 75-62 lead with 4:24 left. Missouri answered again, cutting the deficit to two points on Gardner's 3-pointer that made it 83-81 with 23.1 seconds left.

Grant added a free throw with 19 seconds left and Missouri missed three shots at the end, a 3-pointer by Gardner, a follow shot by Conley and another 3-pointer by Conley that fell short.

Ian Johnson added 16 points and Grant had 10 points and 11 assists for Davidson, which shared the Southern Conference title last season for the third straight season and has four starters back.

Conley added 18 points, Gardner had 14 and McKinney 12 for Missouri.

Missouri forward Jeffrey Ferguson served the last of a three-game suspension for playing in an unsanctioned summer league.