STILLWATER, Okla. - Even after a milestone victory, Eddie Sutton was preaching defense.

Henry Iba taught him well.

Sutton tied his mentor for seventh in career coaching victories when No. 6 Oklahoma State beat Missouri 78-68 on Tuesday night.

"The basis of the way he taught the game was defense is a stabilizer," Sutton said of Iba. "It's a thing that on a night when you're not shooting the ball well, if your defense will hold up, maybe there will come a time when you get some momentum.

"If you don't play defense, all of a sudden you get blown away early and you're out of the game."

Joey Graham scored a season-high 27 points and John Lucas added 18 for the Cowboys (12-1, 2-0 Big 12), who held Missouri to 38 percent shooting from the field.

Sutton improved to 767-293 in his career, which included stints at Creighton, Arkansas and Kentucky before he returned to his alma mater in 1990.

"Mr. Iba would be thrilled because he was a teacher, and I think the greatest credit that can be given is when somebody that you coached or taught does well," Sutton said.

Justin Gray scored 25 points, including a season-high six 3-pointers, and the Demon Deacons (14-1, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) cruised to the home win. Gray was coming off a 31-point performance against Clemson over the weekend.Nik Caner-Medley had 18 points for the Terrapins (9-4, 1-2), who were coming off a 36-point loss at No. 3 North Carolina.

Francisco Garcia had 25 points to lead the Cardinals (13-3, 2-1 Conference USA), who led by as many as 48 points and shot 57 percent from the field.Rashaad Carruth had a career-high 25 points for the Golden Eagles (9-6, 0-3) in the worst home loss in school history. Southern Mississippi has lost four straight.

Earnest Shelton scored 18 points and Kennedy Winston had nine of his 13 in the second half to lead the Crimson Tide (13-3, 2-1 Southern Conference) to the road win. Winston made one of two free throws with 9.8 seconds left to give Alabama a three-point lead and Eric Ferguson missed an open 3-pointer with 2 seconds left that could have tied the game.Ronnie Brewer had 15 points for the Razorbacks (13-3, 1-2).