Missouri Tigers prepare for Braggin’ Rights knowing Illinois can win in multiple ways
As the Missouri Tigers prepare for one of their most emotion-filled games of the season, the annual Braggin’ Rights showdown with No. 16 Illinois in St. Louis on Thursday, it’s instructive to remember the significance of MU’s most recent contest.
DeAndre Gholston’s buzzer-beating three-point bank shot, taken from well beyond the top of the key to beat Central Florida, provided what will rank as one of Mizzou’s top moments of the season.
But look at what happened in the first 39-plus minutes. Missouri won a game without needing to outrace an opponent. The Tigers entered the game ranked among the nation’s leaders in several offensive categories, including scoring average at more than 90 points per game.
Missouri beat Central Florida 68-66 in a back-and-forth game to improve to 11-1. The Tigers shot it well, hitting 52% of their threes and 50% on all shots. But they came in more half-court sets than in a faster-paced game.
As the quality of opponent improves — Illinois is the second game of a five-game stretch against four ranked opponents for Missouri — the Tigers will face more teams with the ability to dictate pace.
And Illinois certainly likes to push it. The Illini average 78.1 points, led by Texas Tech transfer Terrence Shannon Jr.’s 17.8.
Beating Central Florida was a confidence boost for Mizzou ... and a reminder that there are different ways to find a victory.
“It gives you confidence but also gives you an identity of ways to come out victorious,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates said. “We played well enough to put ourselves in a position to take the game, and our guys didn’t panic.”
Illinois (8-3) was ranked No. 23 in the preseason AP poll. Coach Brad Underwood’s team has delivered some stellar performances, like a defeat of Texas, as well as a clunker: a recent home loss to Penn State. The Illini are the only team in the nation to own two victories over two Kenpom top-10 teams.
The Illini take plenty of three-pointers — some 45.6% of their field-goal attempts are shot from beyond the arc. They make them at a 34.4% clip, ranking 132nd nationally.
Braggin’ Rights remains one of college basketball’s great neutral-floor matchups. Missouri and Illinois have met annually in St. Louis since 1980. Illinois won the first game, Missouri the second.
Since then every outcome has contributed to a streak by one team or the other. After the first two, the Illini won the next eight. Missouri won four, Illinois two, Missouri three, Illinois eight, Missouri four, Illinois five and Missouri three.
A Tigers victory on Thursday would prevent a new streak, as Illinois won last year’s game by 25 points.