Missouri vs Illinois Rivalry Match Preview – Players to Watch, Head to Head, and Prediction

The Missouri Tigers will lock horns with the Illinois Fighting Illini in a marquee clash on Friday at the Enterprise Center. The Tigers have a competitive 7-4 record in the SEC whereas the Illinois have an excellent 8-2 tally coming into this game. The Illinois occupy the 13th spot in the AP Polls and this game will be exciting for the Illinois and Missouri rivalry.

A perfect game for college basketball fans to enjoy.

Players to Watch

For the Tigers, one of the major players to keep an eye on during this game will be their guard Sean East II. He has potted an average of 17.1 points per game with 2.7 rebounds per contest. East II stands as the highest points average scorer for the Tigers and will look to attack the Illinois from the word go.

He has smashed points in double figures in the last six games. Unfortunately, the Tigers will enter the hardwood with two consecutive losses and hence East II will be fired up to help his team notch up a win against their longtime rivals.

Whereas the Illinois will be looking to up their ante with their guard Terrence Shannon Jr. He would be keen on continuing his dream run in this year’s NCAA tournament and make a memorable NBA debut later.

Projected as the first-round pick, the 23-year-old has been on a rampage, smoking a team-high of 20.9 points per contest 2.4 assists per game.

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He stands at the top spot in both these stat averages in his team. Despite being his final year in college, Shannon has not backed down, contributing with extreme selflessness. He has also stood out with his shooting skills, sousing a remarkable 41.5% three-pointer percentage. The Tigers will have to contain Shannon Jr. if they to make a difference.

Head to Head

As per Illinois official website, they have won over the Missouri 33 times in men’s basketball. Whereas the Tigers have emerged victorious 20 times between December 1932 to December 2022. Out of the last ten matches, the Illinois have again dominated with a 6-4 record. However the last game between the two was played on December, 2022 in which the Tigers outclassed their opponents with an honorable 93-71 tally. 

Prediction

The Illinois would be looking to redeem themselves from their last loss against the Missouri and maintain their supreme run against them. The Illinois are also a ranked team in the AP Polls and hence might have the upper hand.

Notwithstanding, the Missouri would look to elate their fans with a spectacular win over the Illinois before Xmas. They have lost their past two games and would be keen to make an impact.

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Overall, both the teams will look to make the most of each other and it will be a close contest.