COLUMBIA, Mo. - It was a nightmare situation for the Virginia men's basketball team. Two starters were injured, three more players were suffering from the flu, and they still were reeling from tough losses to the No.1 and No. 3 teams in the nation.
Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, the nightmare did not come to an end yesterday at the Hearnes Center. Overwhelmed and out-hustled, the No. 5 Cavaliers fell to No. 24 Missouri, 81-77.
It was the first time in five years that the Tigers (16-6) were able to top Virginia (14-5). Led by junior forward Kareem Rush, who posted a game-high 26 points, Missouri bounced back from last week's 105-73 loss to No. 2 Kansas.
Both teams stayed close through the first half, trading the lead more than 10 times. Missouri guard Wesley Stokes capitalized on a turnover by Virginia's Chris Williams to put the Tigers up at halftime, 40-38.
Turnovers plagued Virginia throughout the game. With six turnovers from Williams and five each from junior guard Roger Mason Jr. and freshman guard Keith Jenifer, the Cavaliers looked shaky, and the Tigers were all too willing to take advantage with 13 steals.
"Turnovers killed us," Virginia coach Pete Gillen said. "We dribbled too much. It was a physical game, there was checking and bumping and holding, so you've got to be strong with the ball."
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Missouri took the definitive lead after Arthur Johnson put back a failed Missouri alley-oop for two of his 16 points, putting the Tigers up 62-58.
From there, the Cavaliers would cut the Tigers' lead to as little as one, but they ran into foul and shooting troubles and never regained the lead.
Jenifer and Mason both fouled out in the last minutes of the game, just as Missouri began to connect on its free throws. Missouri guard Clarence Gilbert and Rush gave the Tigers a solid four-point lead from the line, and Williams' three-point attempts clanked off the rim as time ran out.
The Cavaliers struggled with a short supply of healthy players all night. Mason, Williams and freshman Elton Brown all were slowed down by the flu. Travis Watson played only 13 minutes and was forced to leave with a sprained left foot, while senior Adam Hall did not play with a similar foot injury.
"We're beat up, physically, mentally and emotionally," Gillen said.
"We were a little undermanned," Virginia forward J.C. Mathis said. "That's no excuse. We still should have won."
Gillen said he could not take the loss too hard, considering the condition of his team.
"I'm very disappointed in losing, but mainly I'm very proud of my team," Gillen said. "Their character, their effort, their courage."
Williams led the Cavaliers with 18 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, despite flu symptoms that he said made it hard for him to breathe on the floor.
The Cavaliers must heal their wounds before traveling to N.C. State on Wednesday for a crucial ACC matchup.
"This is as tough a week as anybody in the country has played," Gillen said. "Hopefully we can get healthy, keep our team together, not get frustrated and build on this" game.
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