Colorado Falls 91-82 At Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- With four Colorado players scoring in double-figures, led by senior Dominique Coleman with 19, the Buffaloes were unable to continue a second-half surge and came up short in the 91-82 loss to Missouri Wednesday night. Freshmen Jeremy Williams and Xavier Silas scored 15 points each for the Buffs and junior Richard Roby added 13.

Marcus Watkins made his first start of the season on senior night and had career highs with 15 points and a team-leading six rebounds in for Missouri.

Matt Lawrence scored all of his 17 points in the first half for the Tigers (18-10, 7-8 Big 12), who survived a second-half charge by the Buffaloes to win their third straight at home. Lawrence was 5-for-6 from 3-point range in the first half, helping Missouri take a 20-point lead, but spent most of the second half on the bench.

Along with Coleman's 19 points for Colorado (6-19, 2-13) he also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, one shy of his fourth double-double of the season.

Missouri matched its season best for 3-pointers, going 13-for-30, but missed its first six from long range in the second half to give Colorado a chance to climb back into the game. The Buffaloes twice cut the gap to three points before fading, and Missouri's 18-for-21 night at the free throw line helped restore a cushion.

Colorado opened the second half on an 11-0 run capped by Silas' 3-pointer that cut the deficit to 52-49 with 16:51 to go, and again shaved Missouri's lead to three at 56-53 with about 14 minutes left.

Missouri led 52-38 at the break, topping 50 points in a half for the second time of the season and first since scoring 59 in a 101-80 opening victory over North Carolina A&T on Nov. 10. Consecutive 3-pointers by Lawrence gave Missouri its largest lead at 47-27 with four minutes to go.

Before the game, a moment of silence was observed in honor of Denver Broncos running back and former Missouri star running back Damien Nash, who died Saturday in St. Louis.