Columbia, MO – Marcus Denmon’s personal surge late in regulation boosted No. 4 Missouri to a 74-71 win over eighth-ranked Kansas in the Border Showdown.

Denmon, who scored nine straight points during Missouri’s game-ending 13-0 spurt, canned a pair of three-pointers, including the one that gave the Tigers a 72-71 edge in the final minute.

Denmon, who ended with 29 points, went 6-of-9 from three-point range, as Missouri (21-2, 8-2 Big 12) won its third in a row to tie the Jayhawks and Baylor atop the conference standings. Kim English added 18 points in the final regular season conference meeting between the two teams in Columbia, as the Tigers are headed to the SEC.

Michael Dixon scored 15 and stood his ground by taking a charge from Tyshawn Taylor with 9.8 seconds remaining.

Thomas Robinson had 25 points and 13 rebounds for the Jayhawks (18-5, 8-2), who also received 21 points from Taylor.

After Denmon’s three gave the Tigers the lead, Taylor missed a pair of free throws off the back of the rim with 41.3 seconds left. But Phil Pressey couldn’t connect on the front end of a 1-and-1 and Kansas called timeout with 17.4 on the clock.

Dixon stood his ground to take the charge and made two free throws. Elijah Johnson’s wild three-point try from the top of the arc hit off the backboard as time expired.

Taylor’s dunk expanded the Jayhawks to a 71-63 advantage with 3:25 left, but then came the turnovers and Denmon’s offense that turned the tide. He converted a three-point play with 2:07 left to start the rally and made it a 71-69 game with a three-ball with 1:32 left before another long-distance make gave Mizzou the lead for good.

Denmon’s layup boosted the hosts to their largest lead of the night, 39-32, with 1 1/2 minutes left in the opening half. Taylor’s layup ended the period with the Jayhawks down 39-34.

A 9-2 surge gave the Jayhawks a 60-53 lead midway through the second half.

– Sports Network –