Missouri Tiger basketball has been a joy to watch over the last six-plus weeks, as the team hasn’t lost a game since the November 4 opener against Memphis.
The Tigers recently improved to 10-1 overall and 10-0 at home with a victory over Jacksonville State—a game that some might describe as "too close for comfort."
During this impressive win streak, several Mizzou players have emerged as key contributors, giving veteran head coach Dennis Gates reliable options to lean on as the season progresses—especially with SEC play just a few months away.
Tigers like Tamer Bates, Mark Mitchell, and Caleb Grill have each delivered multiple standout performances, taking over games at key moments.
Grill, previously the leading scorer off the bench, is questionable for this game and hasn’t played since suffering a neck injury in late November.
The only thing standing between Gates’s squad and an eleventh consecutive win is 7-3 Illinois, fresh off a last-second loss to No. 1 Tennessee. The Illini nearly ended the Volunteers' undefeated run, but a buzzer-beater secured a 66-64 victory for Tennessee.
In addition to their narrow loss to Tennessee, Illinois has secured wins over No. 20 Wisconsin, Eastern Illinois, SIUE, Oakland, MD Eastern, Little Rock, and No. 19 Arkansas. Their other losses came against Northwestern and No. 8 Alabama.
Illinois’s roster features multiple threats on both ends of the court, meaning Mizzou’s offense and defense will need to be ready to compete for the full 40 minutes tomorrow.
So far this season, Illinois’s biggest threat appears to be freshman Kasparas Jakucionis. The Lithuanian big man is the only player on the roster averaging over 30 minutes per game, consistently delivering standout performances each night.
Jakucionis averages 16 points, 6 rebounds, and nearly 6 assists per game while shooting an impressive 47% from the field—remarkable numbers for a player of his size. His stats are even better in away games, where he shoots 48% from three and averages over 19 points per game.
In the game against Tennessee, Jakucionis scored early and often but struggled with turnovers—an area the Tigers will undoubtedly look to exploit.
Illinois PG Kasparas Jakucionis vs TENN:
— Conrado Pascual (@CP3_777) December 15, 2024
• 22 PTS
• 3 REB
• 2 AST, 6 TO 🫤
Jakucionis lacks a quick first step. His strength is all below his knees. Establishes a hard pivot at low angles but rises up & around defenders for crafty layups or assistspic.twitter.com/9rq1kOCvMD
Jakucionis is also a strong defensive presence, averaging 1.5 steals per game and consistently forcing turnovers. He’s a versatile player who can score from anywhere on the court and defend effectively both in the paint and on the perimeter. It will be intriguing to see who Mizzou assigns to match up with him.
Illinois’s offense and defense become even more formidable with the presence of 7-footer Tomislav Ivisic, whose impact in the paint adds another layer of dominance to their game.
Croatian sophomore Tomislav Ivisic has been a force this season, averaging just under a double-double—a feat accomplished by few in college basketball.
Ivisic averages over 14 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game, with 8 of those coming on the defensive end. Limiting his offensive scoring and defensive rebounding will be crucial if the Tigers hope to secure a victory tomorrow.
Big men like Josh Gray and Peyton Marshall will need to be utilized effectively, focusing on defending and boxing out against players like Ivisic to limit his impact on both ends of the floor.
Mizzou’s schedule is only getting tougher, with each win carrying greater NCAA Tournament implications. This game is certainly winnable if the Tigers come out strong and stay committed to their game plan on both offense and defense.