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The Illinois Fighting Illini will face their bitter rivals, the Missouri Tigers, in the latest edition of the Braggin' Rights rivalry matchup on Friday night. The game is set to tip off at 9 p.m. ET at Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
Illinois enters the contest with momentum, having won four straight home games to improve to 8-2. The school's last outing was a victory over Colgate Raiders.
Meanwhile, Missouri looks to bounce back from consecutive losses, including a defeat against Seton Hall in its previous game. The two straight losses have dropped the Tigers' record to 7-4 heading into the rivalry showdown with the Illini.
Illinois vs. Missouri Prediction
The Fighting Illini had a strong performance in their previous game, defeating Colgate 74-57. Forward Quincy Guerrier catalyzed the Illinois attack, posting 15 points and hauling seven rebounds to help power the decisive victory.
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The 13th-ranked Illinois has impressed in non-conference play, with its only losses coming against top teams: No. 6 Marquette and No. 8 Tennessee. Illinois had a 98-89 win over No.14 Florida Atlantic Owls. Now the Illini face their toughest remaining non-league test against long-time rivals Missouri.
After the Braggin' Rights matchup, Illinois only has one more contest against Fairleigh Dickinson before Big Ten play tips off.
Meanwhile, Missouri enters the rivalry matchup looking to snap a two-game skid. The Tigers fell 73-64 against No. 2 Kansas (10-1) before dropping a high-scoring 93-87 contest to Seton Hall. Despite the loss to Seton Hall, Missouri had strong individual performances. Tamar Bates scored a season-high 22 points, while Sean East II added 16 points and six assists.
Mizzou faces its toughest remaining non-conference tilt against an Illinois team brimming with momentum. The Tigers' final tune-up comes against Central Arkansas before SEC play begins. A win over the Illini would provide a timely confidence boost.
PREDICTION: Illinois is predicted to edge out Missouri for the victory, with the game expected to end in a lopsided 76-56 win in favor of the Fighting Illini.
Illinois vs. Missouri Betting Tips
- #1: Illinois is 4-5 against the spread this season
- #2: Three of Illinois' nine games have gone over the point total
- #3: Missouri has covered the spread in four of ten matchups
- #4: Three of Missouri's 10 games have gone over the point total
Illinois vs. Missouri Odds
Illinois vs. Missouri Head-to-Head
The Braggin' Rights rivalry has been tightly contested in recent years, with Illinois holding a slim 26-16 all-time edge over Missouri. Over their last eight matchups dating back to December 2015, the teams are knotted at 4-4. But the deadlock will finally be broken on Friday when these bitter rivals clash again.
Where to watch Illinois vs. Missouri?
Fans can watch the highly-anticipated showdown between the Missouri Tigers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on Fox Sports 1.
