Columbia, Mo. ? Kevin Young picked the perfect time for his best game.

With Missouri’s usual scoring threats misfiring, the unsung junior center stepped up with 11 points and nine rebounds, both career bests, in a 60-53 victory over Baylor on Wednesday night. It was the kind of contribution the struggling Tigers desperately needed.

The 6-9 Young, who averages a modest 4.8 points and 4.9 rebounds, is an afterthought in opponent’s scouting reports. He’s not particularly mobile, doesn’t have very good hands and doesn’t jump out of the gym.

But lately he’s had a knack for getting the job done. Young had the winning basket in an overtime victory over then 16th-ranked Oklahoma on Saturday and he barely missed his first career double double against Baylor, taking advantage of the Bears’ smaller front line.

“The coaches were telling me I might have a good rebounding night tonight,” Young said. “They kept on saying it over and over and over, and then when I went out there, I realized I could get a bunch of rebounds.

“I was just trying to lean on them as hard as I could, that’s all.”

Coach Quin Snyder said Missouri (12-13, 4-7 Big 12 Conference) could use more workmanlike play that Young can provide and less flash in their next game Saturday at Nebraska (11-11, 4-7). The Tigers have a tendency to over-rely on the three-point shot while Snyder has been emphasizing getting the ball inside.

Guard Thomas Gardner, who had totaled 41 points the previous two games, was 0-for-8 against Baylor. Forward Linas Kleiza, the team’s go-to player all season, tried to force the action against the Baylor zone and was 4-for-11 with nine points and had only three rebounds.

Baylor made controlling Kleiza, who had 18 points and 13 rebounds against Oklahoma, a priority.

“Young was the difference,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “We tried to key on (Kleiza), limit his touches, but we just didn’t do a very good job on Young. I thought Young was phenomenal from the start.”

After the Baylor victory, which was a little too close for comfort for the coach considering the Bears’ 1-9 conference record, Snyder emphasized that players shouldn’t be at all satisfied.

“I think Kevin’s play just kind of epitomizes what our team needs to be,” Snyder said.