For Immediate Release: December 2, 2000
Contact: Derek Smolik, UTPA Director of Athletic Media Relations

Merriweather Scores 27, But Missouri Defeats UT Pan American 78-57 in Men's Basketball Saturday

COLUMBIA, MO -- Brian Merriweather scored 27 points, but a balanced scoring attack from the University of Missouri was too much for the University of Texas-Pan American, which fell to the Tigers, 78-57, in men's basketball action Saturday at the Hearnes Center.

Merriweather, a senior from Evansville, Ind., hit on 10-of-19 shots from the field, including 5-of-10 three-point attempts, and scored 27 points.  Merriweather had just nine points in the first half, but came out firing in the second half, scoring 13 of UTPA's 16 points during one stretch in the second half.  His total of 27 was just one off his season high of 28 against Sul Ross State.  No other Bronc scored in double figures after UTPA went the first four games of the season with at least four in double figures.

Missouri came out of the gates strong, running out to a quick 9-0 lead.  UTPA responded with 9-2 run to cut the lead to 13-11.  The Broncs would cut the Tiger lead to two points four more times during the half, but could not tie the game or take the lead.  The Tigers took a commanding 13-point lead late in the first half on the strength of five points from Brian Grawer.  A lay-up by Merriweather with just one second left in the half cut the halftime deficit to just 42-31.

The Tigers started the second half strong as well, running off the first eight points of the second period to lead 50-31.  Again, the Broncs started to peck away at the Tiger lead an 11-2 run, keyed by treys from Merriweather and Braxton, to cut the Tiger lead to just 10 points.  But that was as close as UTPA would get, as MU outscored the Broncs 18-7 over the final 10:39 of the game.

John Braxton scored nine points, Mire Chatman scored eight points and Kyle Sanders scored six.  Terrell Hill had his best game as a Bronc, scoring five points, leading UTPA with six rebounds and had three steals.  All-American Kareem Rush led five Tigers in double figures with 19 points, but was held to just 6-of-16 shooting from the field.

"I thought that we played with unbelievable heart and desire," said UTPA Head Coach Bob Hoffman.  "When you play a top-20 team on the road, you have to make plays.  We made some plays, but we missed some others.  Brian was Brian today.  He had a big game in a hostile environment, in front of a big crowd.  Guys found him after he got hot, they set screens for him, did whatever they could to get him open." 

The Broncs will return to action on Monday, November 4th, when they travel to Jonesboro, Ark., for a 7 p.m. tipoff against Arkansas State.

UT Pan American vs Missouri Tigers (12-02-00 at Hearnes Center, C)

Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS

Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL STATISTICS
UT Pan American vs Missouri Tigers
12-02-00 1:00 pm at Hearnes Center, Columbia, Mo
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VISITORS: UT Pan American 3-2
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
11 John Braxton........ f  3-7    3-5    0-0    1  2  3   3   9  2  3  0  3  30
21 Kyle Sanders........ f  3-6    0-0    0-1    3  2  5   3   6  0  2  0  0  29
40 Marcus Quinn........ c  0-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   1   0  0  0  0  0   2
01 Kwasinda Curtis..... g  0-5    0-2    0-0    0  6  6   2   0  5  5  0  1  38
23 Brian Merriweather.. g 10-19   5-10   2-2    1  3  4   1  27  1  4  0  2  36
04 Joey Tate...........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   0   0  0  1  0  0   1
22 Terrell Hill........    2-8    0-1    1-3    1  5  6   3   5  0  2  1  3  31
32 Mire Chatman........    2-11   0-4    4-8    2  1  3   3   8  3  1  0  2  26
52 DeFrance Gurley.....    1-2    0-0    0-0    1  0  1   3   2  0  0  1  0   7
   TEAM................                         2     2
   Totals..............   21-59   8-22   7-14  11 19 30  19  57 11 18  2 11 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 12-33 36.4%   2nd Half:  9-26 34.6%   Game: 35.6%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  3-10 30.0%   2nd Half:  5-12 41.7%   Game: 36.4%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half:  4-7  57.1%   2nd Half:  3-7  42.9%   Game: 50.0%    3

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HOME TEAM: Missouri Tigers 4-1
                          TOT-FG  3-PT         REBOUNDS
## Player Name            FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF  TP  A TO BLK S MIN
21 Rush, Kareem........ f  6-16   3-5    4-4    4  3  7   2  19  0  4  0  2  28
33 Soyoye, Tajudeen.... f  3-5    0-0    9-9    2  4  6   1  15  1  1  0  0  26
50 Johnson, Arthur..... c  5-6    0-0    0-1    1 10 11   2  10  1  3  2  0  20
04 Gilbert, Clarence... g  4-12   4-6    0-0    1  7  8   1  12  4  4  0  1  35
12 Grawer, Brian....... g  2-6    1-4    2-2    0  2  2   1   7  4  0  0  3  30
02 Stokes, Wesley......    0-1    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   2   0  1  2  0  2  10
11 Gage, Justin........    0-0    0-0    0-0    0  0  0   2   0  0  1  1  1  15
23 Paulding, Rickey....    4-9    0-2    2-2    1  3  4   2  10  1  4  0  2  24
31 Parker, Johnnie.....    1-1    0-0    3-6    4  2  6   2   5  1  0  0  0  12
   TEAM................                         1     1
   Totals..............   25-56   8-17  20-24  14 31 45  15  78 13 19  3 11 200

TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 12-30 40.0%   2nd Half: 13-26 50.0%   Game: 44.6%  DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half:  3-5  60.0%   2nd Half:  5-12 41.7%   Game: 47.1%   REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 15-17 88.2%   2nd Half:  5-7  71.4%   Game: 83.3%    2

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Officials: Larry Ware, Sam Croft, Steven Pyatt
Technical fouls: UT Pan American-None. Missouri Tigers-None.
Attendance: 8283
Score by Periods                1st  2nd   Total
UT Pan American...............   31   26  -   57
Missouri Tigers...............   42   36  -   78