PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas – Laurence Bowers scored 19 points, as usual most were in the second half, and grabbed 10 rebounds as No. 13 Missouri beat Stanford 78-70 in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis on Thursday.
Bowers, who had 13 points in the second half Thursday, has scored more points after halftime in every game this season for the Tigers (4-0). He came in averaging 15.5 points per game,14.0 in the second half.
Missouri will face the winner of the first-round game between No. 2 Louisville and Northern Iowa in Friday's semifinals.
Phil Pressey had 18 points and eight assists for Missouri, which had three field goals over the final 9:10 — all grouped in a 1:57 span starting with 2:12 to play. It didn't matter as the Tigers were 10 of 11 from the free throw line in that stretch.. They were 22 for 25 for the game.
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