COLUMBIA, Mo. ? Reserve Michael Dixon scored 18 points and helped spark a 17-0 first-half run as No. 5 Missouri beat Texas A&M 70-51 on Monday, snapping an eight-game losing streak to the Aggies.
The Tigers (17-1, 4-1 Big 12) started the game by making only five of their first 14 shots from the field against the conference's best scoring defense. But Dixon's 3-pointer with 7:22 remaining in the first half started the 17-0 run that gave Missouri a 31-17 lead.
Elston Turner hit a free throw to end the Aggies' 6:32 scoreless drought.
Turner and Khris Middleton both had 13 points for Texas A&M (10-7, 1-4), which scored the first seven points of in the second half to get within 42-30. The Aggies got within 10 points three times, but could get no closer.
Marcus Denmon's steal and ensuing three-point play with 8:40 left started a 10-1 run for Missouri, which led 64-44 with 3:57 left in the game.
Missouri's last win over Texas A&M had been in the 2004 Big 12 tournament.
Missouri is ranked in the top five for the first time since 2003-04, and has won 62 of its last 65 home games, falling only to Kansas twice and Texas A&M. The Tigers' have won each home game this season by an average of 27.6 points.
The Aggies came in allowing 57.5 points per game, holding opponents to 36.9 percent shooting. Missouri couldn't do much better, shooting 40 percent, but the Tigers held Texas A&M to 35 percent, its second-lowest shooting percentage of the season.
Denmon added 16 points and nine rebounds for Missouri, which leads the Big 12 in scoring offense (83.9) and field goal percentage (51.2).
Middleton is leading the Aggies in scoring since he returned nine games ago after surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his right knee.
Ray Turner added 11 points and nine rebounds for Texas A&M, which has lost six of eight.
Ricardo Ratliffe wasn't called for his first foul until the second half for the second consecutive game, helping Missouri avoid having to go deeper than its seven-man rotation. The Tigers outrebounded Texas A&M 38-26 and were 27 of 31 from the free throw line.
Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy served as an assistant under Missouri coach Frank Haith while both were at Miami in 2005-06. Haith defeated his mentor and former head coach, Rick Barnes, in a 84-73 victory on Friday over Texas.
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