Mizzou Basketball Falls Just Short in Braggin' Rights Battle Against Illinois

On Sunday afternoon, the Missouri Tigers squared off with a Big Ten opponent, as Illinois looked to end the Tigers' 10-game winning streak at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.

This game was easily the most exciting contest fans have witnessed so far this season. From the tipoff, the Illini seemed poised to deliver a highly entertaining matchup—and they did not disappoint.

The Tigers went down early, but quickly came back and went on their own run, which was well-responded to by Illinois. By the end of the first half, each team had multiple significant runs, with Mizzou’s largest being 9-0, and the Illini with an 8-0 run.

By the end of the first half, the scoring stats were nearly identical, with three lead changes and as many ties.

The Tigers' offense fell apart in the final two minutes of the first half, going scoreless as Kasparas Jakucionis and the rest of the Illinois team capitalized with a 7-0 run to close out the half.

Jakucionis led the way in scoring with 10 points in the first half, shooting 2-for-4 and playing a key role in Illinois' 37-32 halftime lead. The highly touted NBA prospect finished with a hard-fought 19 points, including a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Mark Mitchell led the way for Mizzou in the first half, keeping the Tigers competitive in the game. Tony Perkins also delivered several big moments that electrified the crowd.

The junior, playing his first season since transferring from Duke, logged all but two minutes of the first half and scored an efficient 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting. Mitchell also grabbed three rebounds and made an impact defensively with two steals.

Mitchell accounted for three of the Tigers' five turnovers in the first half. Defensively, they forced nine turnovers but struggled to convert them into points.

Mizzou missed three free throws, shot just 20% from beyond the arc, and was significantly out-rebounded, 23-9.

Head coach Dennis Gates faced a challenging task heading into the locker room. Adjustments were needed in the rotation and in the team’s approach on both ends of the court.

Offensively, both Tamar Bates and Tony Perkins stepped up in the second half, delivering much stronger performances than in the first.

The senior guards quickly doubled their point totals early in the second half and made a significant impact, helping the Tigers claw back into a game that could have slipped away if not for their timely response.

The game was filled with opportunities that the Tigers failed to capitalize on.

The Tigers forced significantly more turnovers, but Illinois capitalized by scoring more points off them. Additionally, Mizzou went to the free-throw line nearly twice as often as the Illini but converted around 80%, while Illinois delivered an impressive 22-for-23 performance from the line.

The Tigers fought hard throughout and consistently kept the game close, even after the Illini opened the first double-digit lead of the game with about six minutes remaining in regulation.

A quick response, highlighted by a game-high 11-0 run led by Tamar Bates, gave Mizzou their first lead of the second half and halted the momentum Illinois had built throughout the afternoon.

Bates played a pivotal role in the run, starting with two free throws to cut the lead to one. He then captured a steal and facilitated the offense, eventually getting the ball to Perkins, who scored to give Mizzou the lead.

By the end of the game, there were five lead changes and seven ties, highlighting the intense level of competition in this matchup.

With just over a minute to play, Perkins passed the ball to Bates, who sank a three-pointer to force another tie. The Illini quickly responded by breaking the tie with a pair of free throws.

By the end of the hard-fought game, Perkins and Mitchell each recorded 18 points and six rebounds, delivering strong performances from the veteran starters.

With less than 10 seconds remaining, Mitchell narrowly missed a three-pointer that would have given Mizzou the lead. Illinois secured the defensive rebound and closed out the game from there.

The 80-77 defeat marked a disappointing end to an impressive streak to start the season, but it added another layer of experience and resilience to this battle-tested squad.

The Tigers came ready to play and fought hard throughout, even when facing a significant deficit in the second half. There’s plenty to take away from this game, and it’s crucial they learn how to close out against strong competition like this as the season progresses.

Mizzou falls to 10-2 after the loss and now has a long break to reflect on what needs improvement for the second half of the season.

They’ll aim to bounce back next Monday evening when they take on Alabama State at Mizzou Arena.