Northwestern led by as much as 20 in the first half but had to hold off a late push to beat Missouri on Tuesday night in Kansas City, 67-62.
The Cats opened the game on a 28-9 run, Bryant McIntosh scoring the team's first 11 points, nine coming on a trio of made 3-pointers. Jordan Ash, Aaron Falzon and Sanjay Lumpkin also hit 3s as Northwestern had a 20-point lead with still almost eight minutes to play before halftime.
McIntosh scored all 13 of his points in the first half, and the Cats hit seven 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes, owning a 14-point lead at halftime after shooting 52 percent.
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The Tigers went on a 15-9 run over the first eight minutes of the second half to trim the lead to eight, and two minutes later, they were within six. The lead was merely four with a little less than four minutes to play before four Northwestern free throws stretched it back to eight. But Mizzou went on another spurt, a bucket and three free throws making it a three-point game with 34 seconds remaining. Tre Demps and Sanjay Lumpkin each split a pair of free throws to give the Tigers an opportunity, but they missed a couple shots, and the Cats hung on for the win.
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Demps and McIntosh — the sophomore point guard ended up fouling out — finished with 13 points apiece, the only Northwestern players in double figures. Falzon, Alex Olah and Joey van Zegeren each ended with at least five rebounds.
The Cats shot 46.7 percent from the field on the night and held the Tigers to just 38.3-percent shooting.
It was a good rebound win for Northwestern after falling to No. 9 North Carolina on Monday night.
The Cats improved to 4-1 with the victory and return home to face New Orleans on Saturday.