Illinois vs Missouri: 2020-21 Braggin’ Rights basketball game preview, TV schedule
Missouri and Illinois meet for the fifty-first playing of the Braggin Rights game.
TV schedule: Saturday, December 12th, 8 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Arena: Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri
The classic Bragging Rights showdown between inter-state rivals Missouri and Illinois is finally here. After months of insecurity about the storied annual matchup’s fate, the two schools made it happen…and through unconditional means.
For the first time since 1994-95, the game will not be held at St. Louis’ Enterprise Center. Instead, through virtue of a coin flip, the game will be in Columbia, Missouri, at Mizzou Arena. The unconventional measure of deciding the location and the flexibility it took to continue the forty-four-year streak of the game being played is a testament to the two programs embracing the oddness of a Covid year.
Rather than getting caught up in the ego of “who is hosting” the game or it not being a “true neutral court”, playing the game benefits both programs in terms of goodwill to the fans and potential resume building for the programs come March.
For the last two seasons, Mizzou earned the towering Braggin Rights trophy, claiming it back after five years of Illini dominance. Historically Illinois has been the dominant force in the rivalry, having gone 32-18 in the series since its inception. They will come into the 2020 version of the battle the betting favorites, but if we’ve learned anything, the game will almost always be a battle.
The Illini come into this Saturday tilt with the Tigers coming off a major victory over Duke at Cameron Indoor stadium. With the number 6 ranking in the AP poll and a lone loss to No. 2 Baylor, Illinois is at its highest-profile of success entering Braggin Right since 2004 when they entered as the number 1 team in the nation.
Led by National Player of the Year contenders Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn, Illini has one of the most explosive offenses in the country this year. The forward tandem average a combined 35.6 points per game and 17.6 rebounds per game.
But what makes the Illini’s offense really tick is the contributions it gets from the rest of its starters, with two other guys averaging double-digit scoring and adding true depth at every facet of the game otherwise. Brad Underwood’s squad is one of the best in the nation and enters this rivalry matchup looking to take back the crown.
On the other hand, Missouri has emerged as one of the college basketball’s seasons early surprises. Despite being picked to finish 10th in the preseason SEC poll, Cuonzo Martin’s Tigers have overachieved by that metric. Opening the year 4-0 with key wins over a then-ranked Oregon team (in a hastily scheduled neutral site game), Wichita State, and Liberty.
The Tigers are getting the most out of a lineup that returned a ton of continuity to the lineup after an up-and-down season before the Covid shutdown. With veteran guards Xavier Pinson and Dru Smith leading the way and big man Jerimiah Tillmon and healthy, the Tigers have surprised with their will rounded play on both ends of the floor.
The matchup, though, may lean Illinois’ way from a purely stylistic standpoint. Missouri tends to try to get most of their points from inside the three-point arc. While they are extremely efficient on the inside, shooting 60.9% on two-point shots, they have never faced a frontcourt like Illinois.
Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn defend the paint as good as pair in the country and would be perfectly happy with the Tigers ether A.) taking midrange jumpers or B.) pushing the perimeter and having them change their offensive preference dramatically.
The long and the short of the matchup is that Braggin Rights will feature a pair of teams at their peak performance this time of year. For Illinois, a win would mean an emotional victory on their march to Big 10 and National title aspirations. It would be a coming-out party for Mizzou and a statement that the Tigers are genuine contenders and here to stay.
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Anything is possible when Braggin Rights are on the line. This is appointment television right from the middle of the show me state.