Missouri 56, Valparaiso 41: Wes Clark scored a game-high 16 points and grabbed six rebounds to help the host Tigers pull away from the Crusaders to avoid their first 0-2 start in 49 years and give coach Kim Anderson his first win at his alma mater.

Johnathan Williams III scored 10 points and freshman Montaque Gill-Caesar added nine for Missouri, which evened its record after an embarrassing loss to in-state foe UMKC on Friday. Ryan Rosburg grabbed a team-high eight rebounds for the Tigers, who have won all four meetings with Valparaiso.

E. Victor Nickerson was the only player in double figures for Valparaiso (1-1) with 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Jubril Adekoya had a team-best eight rebounds but scored only three points on 1-of-8 shooting for the Crusaders.

Vashii Fernandez started the second half with a dunk for a 25-24 lead, but the Crusaders didn't make another field goal for more than 7 1/2 minutes as Missouri reeled off a 13-2 run capped by Keanau Post's slam to open a double-digit lead. Nickerson scored five straight points to pull Valparaiso within seven with 8:30 left, but Clark hit a 3-pointer and Williams made a layup to stretch it back out and the Tigers' lead didn't dip into single digits the rest of the way.

Neither team led by more than five in a first half that saw both squads struggle to find an offensive rhythm. Tevonn Walker went coast-to-coast for a layup at the end of the half that appeared to give Valparaiso a one-point lead, but it was disallowed after a replay showed the shot came just after time expired and Missouri took a 24-23 advantage into the break.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Valparaiso F Alec Peters, who scored a team-high 27 points in the season-opening win over East Tennessee State, was in foul trouble most of the game and managed only seven points on 2-of-5 shooting. … Missouri shot just 25 percent from the floor in the first half but improved to 53.8 percent after the break. … Missouri held out highly touted freshman Jakeenan Gant for the second straight game pending a review of his eligibility.