Mizzou Basketball Throttled by No. 13 Illinois in Braggin' Rights Game

ST.LOUIS, Mo. - The Al-Pacino-esque death stare that took over Dennis Gates' tense face said more than any words could have. Missouri had dug themselves into a 24-point hole against before the end of the first period against No. 13 Illinois. The Enterprise Center started the game by housing a fair mix of Missouri and Illinois fans but by the end of it, it was mostly orange that remained as the Illini crushed the Tigers, 97-73.  

12 games into the season, Missouri still seems to be searching for an identity. Gates has thrown a plethora of rotations but has yet to settle on a consistent lineup. Against Illinois, Gates' made a change to the starting-five by inserting freshman forward Trent Pierce in place of sophomore forward Aidan Shaw. 12 different Tigers made saw playing time, with only three (Sean East II, Tamar Bates and Trent Pierce) scoring more than 8 points.

The shooting numbers for Missouri were less than ideal. The Tigers shot 39.4% from the field, 56.3% on free-throws and a horrific 22.2% from three.

Illinois was able to find much more offensive success with the trio of Terrence Shannon Jr., Quincy Guirrie and Coleman Hawkins combining for 73 points. Illinois' physical defense put together an elite performance, grabbing 51 rebounds compared to just 35 for Missouri. 

Friday's loss served as an unfortunate reminder of the fact that Missouri is undergoing a transition year. Bridged between a 2022 team that wildly outperformed expectations and the promising future that lies ahead, the 2023 Missouri team does not have much firepower. Last season, the Tigers escaped the non-conference schedule with only one loss to Kansas. After the loss to Illinois, however, the 2023 team now sits at 7-5.

Missouri will return to Mizzou Arena next Saturday, December 30th to take on Central Arkansas. The Tigers will open SEC play on January 6th when they host Georgia.