COLUMBIA, Mo. -- After a 62-52 loss to North Carolina Central Monday night, Missouri coach Kim Anderson required his players to practice the entire week without wearing team athletic gear.He didnt wear any either.However unorthodox the method, it would appear the message got through.Frankie Hughes had 18 points and four rebounds as Missouri narrowly escaped Western Kentucky in a 59-56 victory Saturday.Kevin Puryear had 12 points and five rebounds, including 8 points in the second half, and Russell Woods scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds, tying a team high.The Tigers (4-3) held a 10-point lead near the 12-minute mark, but the Hilltoppers whittled it away, mounting a 14-5 run while Missouri missed its final eight field goal attempts.Pancake Thomas missed a 3-pointer with :04 seconds remaining and Missouri guard Cullen VanLeer secured off the rebound before being fouled. He sank two free-throws to extend the Tigers one-point lead before the Hilltoppers last-second half-court shot fell short. Thomas finished with nine points and five rebounds on 3-for-12 shooting.Hughes stressed the impact of this win on the teams morale.Its most definitely a confidence booster, Hughes said. Of course, coming off the disappointment from last game, we were coming in with a locked-in mindset, just trying to basically focus in on what (the opponents) do, and just trying to get stops and let our defense create our offense.Anderson discussed the details of motivating his players following Mondays loss.They worked hard all week, Anderson said. They worked hard in white cotton t-shirts and black cotton shorts that we bought from a local department store. They didnt wear Missouri gear all week.Western Kentucky (3-5) jumped out to an early 9-3 lead while Missouri shot 3-for-13 from the field to start the game. Hughes was the only Missouri player to score for a 5:09 window of the first half, scoring 12 points, including three consecutive 3-pointers.The Hilltoppers missed their final four shots of the first half, allowing Missouri to close on a 7-0 run. By halftime, the Tigers led 33-30 despite shooting 29-percent to the Hilltoppers 43.3.Justin Johnson led the Hilltoppers with 14 points and five rebounds, and Que Johnson added 12 points and a team-best eight rebounds.The Tigers outrebounded Western Kentucky 44-30, their largest rebounding margin since their season-opening 99-44 victory when they outrebounded Alabama A&M 43-29.?Probably a couple years ago, Missouri wouldnt have won a close game, so give them some credit, Western Kentucky coach Rick Stansbury said. Theres no question this is Kims best team hes had. Hes doing a really good job with them. When you win some close games like that, it gives your kids a lot of confidence, too.HIGHLIGHT REELWith 12:04 seconds remaining, VanLeer stole the ball in the low post from Que Johnson and threw a full-court lob pass over several Western Kentucky players, finding Hughes in stride for a two-handed breakaway dunk.HALFTIME HEAVEMissouri undergraduate student Aaron Brown won $5,000 during the halftime show after sinking a half-court shot. Brown made more free-throws than another eligible contestant in order to advance to the grand prize opportunity.BIG PICTUREWestern Kentucky: The Hilltoppers are in the midst of a seven-game road stretch. They last played at home on Nov. 22 in a 77-56 win over North Carolina A&T and will return to E.A. Diddle Arena to host Ohio Dec. 21.Missouri: Jackson is the Tigers leading scorer through seven games, averaging 14.1 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game. Puryear is the second leading scorer on the team, averaging 11.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Puryear led Missouri in scoring as a freshman in 2015 with 11.5 points per game.UP NEXTWestern Kentucky visits Indiana State Dec. 11.Missouri hosts Miami (Ohio) Monday. Tom Brady Womens Jersey . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Sony Michel Youth Jersey . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. http://www.patriotsjerseysauthentic.com/Kevin-Faulk-Super-Bowl-Jersey/ .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Drew Bledsoe Womens Jersey .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. Rob Gronkowski Patriots Jersey .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. NEWARK, Del. -- Elena Delle Donne had dreamed of playing basketball in the Olympics since she was little.Shell get her chance next week as a member of the U.S. womens team. Before heading to Rio, Delle Donne got an opportunity to celebrate at home in Delaware with a lot of the fans who have been watching her play since she was in eighth grade.She scored 10 points to help the U.S. beat France 84-62 in an exhibition game at the University of Delaware on Wednesday night.It was by far the most emotional game I played at [Delaware], said Delle Donne, who helped Delaware reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament her senior year. Seeing faces that had watched me here since eighth grade and have been on the entire journey with me and now see me in a USA jersey. Its been my dream my entire life. Its so special to come out and share it with them. This is a really special night. There have been a lot of special nights on this court. This is the biggest night. Its a dream come true for me and the fans as well.A loud, spirited crowd gave her quite the ovation when she was announced before the start of the game. They cheered for her and the rest of the U.S. team the rest of the game.Thats amazing what happened today, Diana Taurasi said. Thats really awesome to see the fans come out and support her and us. Shes obviously done so much for the state. That was really nice for us to get a reception like that for our team. Its rare that we play in America were usually across the pond. That was cool, getting the USA chants from the whole crowd, that felt really good. That hasnt happened a lot in my 14 years with the national team.The game was a rematch of the 2012 London Olympics gold-medal game, which the Americans won 86-50. This time the U.S. took a halff to get going, which wasnt a total surprise, because the Americans have had little training since getting together for the first time as a full team Saturday in Los Angeles.ddddddddddddThey played Monday night against a U.S. select team, winning by four, before flying across country for this three-game exhibition series. Frances core has been together for months qualifying for the Rio Olympics in a last-chance tournament in June.The U.S. led by only one at the half, but Charles and Moore spearheaded a 9-2 spurt to start the third quarter to create some space. The Americans extended the lead to 63-46 after three quarters.France couldnt get within 15 the rest of the way.Marine Johannes scored 13 points to lead France.Tina Charles scored 17 points and Maya Moore added 13 to lead the Americans.With the U.S. leading 12-9 early on, Delle Donne made a hustle play on the defensive end, sprinted down the court and was rewarded with an open 3-pointer much to the delight of the fans.The U.S. extended the lead to six, but France wouldnt capitulate, taking a brief 31-30 advantage late in the first half. The Americans led 32-31 at the break.The Americans will face Canada on Friday in Bridgeport, Connecticut. France will play Australia in the second game of this exhibition series. All four teams will conclude play at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday.From there the U.S. will head to Houston to meet up with the mens basketball Olympic team before both head to Rio together. The women open Olympic play on Sunday, Aug. 7, against Senegal. The U.S. has won 41 consecutive Olympic contest and five straight gold medals. ' ' '