McBride Homes Braggin' Rights: #16 ILLINOIS (8-3) vs. Missouri (10-1)
Date | Time	Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022 | 8 p.m. CT
Location	St. Louis, Mo. | Enterprise Center
Tickets	Sold Out | Stub Hub
Television	SEC Network (Tom Hart & John Sundvold)
Live Stream	espn.com/watch | ESPN App
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 134/195, SXM App 957
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Printable Notes	Illinois | Missouri
Pregame Press Conference	Coach Underwood (Dec. 20)
Stats	Illinois | Missouri
Record Book	Illinois
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniMBB | #Illini | @IlliniMBB | Facebook | YouTube

Head Coach Brad Underwood

Career Record: 211-96 (.687), 10th year
At Illinois: 102-69 (.596), 6th year
Big Ten: 55-44 (.556)

Series Notes vs. Missouri

All-Time Record: Illinois leads 33-19
Record at St. Louis: Illinois leads 26-14
Streak: Illinois W-1
Last Year's Meeting: Illinois 88, Missouri 63 (Dec. 22, 2021)
Underwood vs. Missouri: 2-3

Opening Tips

• The 42nd edition of McBride Homes Braggin' Rights between Illinois and Missouri is set for Thursday night in St. Louis (8 p.m. CT, SEC Network). The game is sold out at Enterprise Center for the first time since 2017. 

• Illinois is No. 16 in the current AP poll, its highest ranking entering Braggin' Rights in St. Louis in 10 years (No. 10, 2012). The Illini were No. 6 in the game two years ago held at Columbia, Mo.

• The Illini (8-3) and Tigers (10-1) are a combined 18-4, the best Braggin' Rights record heading into the game in St. Louis since 2013 when the programs were a combined 19-2.

• Illinois returns just seven of 88 points from last year's Braggin' Rights win (Coleman Hawkins-5, RJ Melendez-2).

• Illinois has an 8-1 non-conference record with two games remaining. Illinois is aiming to finish the non-conference with just one loss for the first time in 10 years, since going 13-1 prior to Big Ten play in 2012-13.

• Illinois is the only team in the country with two kenpom top-10 wins (No. 4 UCLA and No. 6 Texas).

• Illinois is a balanced offensive team, with seven different players averaging at least eight points.

• Illinois has seven newcomers among its current 9-man playing rotation. The Illinois rotation features six underclassmen: four true freshmen and two sophomores.

• Illinois ranks No. 301 in experience according to kenpom, ahead of only three power-5 teams (Washington State, Oregon State, Louisville).

• Illinois is sixth in the country in blocked shots, averaging 6.0 bpg. The Illini tallied 12 rejections in the win over No. 2 Texas, its most blocks in a game in 11 years.

• Illinois reserves are combining to score 25.0 points per game. The Illini bench has outscored its opponent in nine of 11 games, and by an average of 9.7 points.

• Illinois ranks 27th in the NCAA in field goal percentage defense, allowing 38.4% shooting. The Illini are No. 9 nationally in 2-point defense, permitting just 41.9% inside the arc.

• The Illini defense is forcing 16.7 turnovers per game, ranking second in the B1G and 40th in the NCAA. Illinois is scoring an average of 18.4 points off opponent turnovers.

• Illinois has outrebounded 9 of 11 opponents and is No. 33 in the NCAA with a 7.2 average rebound margin.

• Illinois is making 9.4 three-pointers per game, ranking second in the Big Ten and 39th nationally. Last season the Illini set a school single-season record, averaging 8.9 made threes.

• Illinois has 11 wins over top-10 teams since 2019-20, second-most in the NCAA behind Baylor (12).

• Illinois is No. 16 in the latest AP poll. Brad Underwood has Illinois in the Top 25 for a fourth straight season after leading the program to a final AP ranking of No. 21 in 2020, No. 2 in 2021, and No. 19 in 2022. 

• Illinois is a dramatically different team this season, welcoming three power-five transfers and a top-10 recruiting class to account for eight newcomers. 

• Illinois is replacing all five regular starters, its top five leading scorers, and a total of 10 players from last year's Big Ten champions. The Illini lost 86% of its points, 80% of its rebounds, and 83% of its minutes played from a year ago.

• Illinois is the winningest team in the Big Ten over the last three-plus seasons, registering a 44-18 mark in league play. The Illini won the regular season championship in 2022, led the conference in wins while adding a B1G Tournament crown in 2021, and finished one game back of the title in 2020.

Braggin' Rights Breakdown

Braggin' Rights Record: Illinois leads 26-15
Record in St. Louis: Illinois leads 26-14
Current Streak: Illinois W-1
Illinois when ranked: 13-7
Missouri when ranked: 6-10
When both teams are ranked: Illinois leads 6-3
When neither team is ranked: Illinois leads 9-5
In overtime games: Tied 2-2
At Enterprise Center (1994-Present): Illinois leads 17-10
At The Arena (1980-93): Illinois led 9-4
Illinois' longest winning streak: 9 (2000-08)
Missouri's longest winning streak: 4, twice (1991-94 & 2009-12)
Illinois' largest winning margin: 32 points (2005)
Missouri's largest winning margin: 18 points (1994)
Closest margin: 1 point, five times (1992, 1993, 2003, 2007 and 2013)
Illinois Scoring Record: 36, Ayo Dosunmu (2020)
Missouri Scoring Record: 30, Doug Smith (1990)
Illinois Rebounding Record: 14, Kofi Cockburn (2021)
Missouri Rebounding Record: 15, Doug Smith (1990)
Attendance Record: 22,484 (1999)

Braggin' Rights All-Time Results

Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)