by Mike Dearmond, The Kansas City Star, Mo. , The Kansas City Star

Missouri has played at an SEC school only seven times in that span. Prior to visiting Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum, Missouri lost at Mississippi State last season and five times at Arkansas, where the Tigers last won when current MU coach Mike Anderson was a Razorbacks assistant.

"That was back in Barnhill," Anderson marveled of Missouri's 87-76 win at Arkansas' old hoops arena on Dec. 7, 1991.

But to this Missouri team, the ultimate importance of ending the SEC road drought could be in helping pave the way for the Tigers' return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2003.

"You put it in your back pocket," said DeMarre Carroll, who along with Zaire Taylor led Missouri with 17 points as the Tigers improved to 12-2.

But come March, you bring this victory -- more than triumphs against Pacific-10 Conference teams USC and Cal -- and wave it in the face of the NCAA selection committee.

"Any SEC road victory is big," Carroll said.

So highlight this one in neon yellow.

"We need names like this to help us out," said Leo Lyons, who scored nine of his 12 points and grabbed four of his six rebounds in a second half when the Tigers established control.

"The SEC is a strong conference. This is a victory people will notice."

This one was built on all five MU starters scoring in double figures -- offsetting 27 points from the Bulldogs' Terrance Woodbury and 18 more from Trey Thompkins.

It was the first Missouri non-conference road victory against anybody since 2003, when Missouri won 63-58 at Indiana on Dec. 6.

"I was about to say I wasn't part of it," kidded Lyons.

Neither was any other current MU player or coach.

Anderson passed the praise profusely among not only his starters but to Marcus Denmon, Keith Ramsey and Kim English. Those three reserves gave MU 15 points off the bench.

Ramsey scored only four points but contributed two blocks, including a huge rejection on a breakaway layup attempt by Zac Swansey with Georgia already up 46-45.

"He came in and blocked the shot," said Anderson. "and he kind of ignited our guys. You could see our guys take another gear."

Georgia -- losing for only the second time in 10 games at home this season -- fell to 9-5, although the Bulldogs did cut the MU lead to five points with 27 seconds to play.

"We just let it slip away during a three-minute period," Georgia coach Dennis Felton said. "We had a couple of breakdowns defensively in that stretch, and they got some second-chance points, too.

"It went from a one-point game to a nine-point game in that stretch where we lost the game."

Come March -- if the Tigers hold their own in Big 12 Conference play -- the particulars will not matter. What will jump off the results page will be a road victory against an SEC team. The first since 1991, when Anthony Peeler was on his way to a second-team All-America season for the Tigers.

"I know about him," said Denmon, a freshman from Kansas City, even though he was not born when Peeler starred in the black and gold.

"He was from Paseo (High), which was in the same Interscholastic League that I played in," said Denmon, who played at Lincoln Prep before finishing at Hogan Prep.

"He came here and had a great career. Played in the NBA."

So much for legends.

To reach Mike DeArmond, MU reporter for The Star, call 816-234-4353 or send e-mail to mdearmond@kcstar.com

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