The annual Braggin’ Rights game awaits the Illinois basketball team on Monday night.
Missouri is always a thorn in the side of the Illini, no matter who is playing in the game. This is a tightly contested rivalry, and the fact that we meet in St. Louis always brings more buzz to the matchup.
While the Tigers are 10-2 this season, their best win is by far against a 7-5 Minnesota bunch. They also have a loss to a weak Notre Dame team and struggled against Alabama State a couple of weeks ago. With that being said, Illinois can’t overlook Missouri. There are a few key questions I will need answered throughout the game.
Here are three key questions for the Illinois basketball team vs Missouri
1. Will Illinois be strong with perimeter defense?
I feel like, in the Brad Underwood era, Illinois lives and dies by the three-point arc. If we are hitting, then we usually win the game. If the other team is hitting from deep, then they are going to knock us off.
In the Nebraska game, the Cornhuskers shot 46% and had Pryce Sandfort knock down 6-of-11 from beyond the three-point arc. Missouri could end up doing the same thing if Illinois gets lazy on their perimeter defense.
The Tigers aren’t a high-volume three-point shooting team, taking just 21.4 three-pointers per game, which ranks No. 245 out of 365 teams in DI basketball. But they are an efficient bunch from deep, knocking down 37.4% of their attempts, which ranks No. 43 in the country.
This won’t be an easy task for Illinois on Monday night. Jacob Crews leads Missouri in three-point attempts with 70 this season, and he is hitting them at a clip of 52.9%. At 6-foot-8, that is going to be extremely tough to stop. I would imagine you will see a rotation of players on him to see who works best on defense.
Underwood’s game plan against Missouri is going to be crucial. Let’s see if we can close out strong and not let Missouri get hot from deep.
2. Does Tomislav Ivisic show up in St. Louis?
One of the stalwarts, a rock for the team, some would say, should be Tomislav Ivisic. He should be the player whom the Illini look to for a big bucket or a big stop when we need one.
Ivisic hasn’t been that, though. He dealt with injuries early on this season, but now that he is back healthy, he hasn’t shown up much for the program.
Illinois, without a doubt, will need Ivisic in a big way on Monday night. Missouri has a nice big man, and Ivisic will be tasked with stopping him defensively while also helping the Illini put points on the board.
The past two games for Ivisic have been frustrating. He is a combined 3-of-12 from the field and 2-of-9 from three-point range for 10 points in the Nebraska and Ohio State contests. He has only pulled down seven rebounds in that stretch, too.
Ivisic’s job against the Tigers will be simple. Don’t let anyone score around the bucket. Missouri will try to drive the ball, but he needs to be a rim protector. Their big man, Shawn Philips Jr., isn’t going to pull him out to the perimeter either, as he hasn’t attempted a three-pointer in his four-year career.
Defensively, this should be a straightforward night for Ivisic. Offensively, we need the big man to pull Phillips out of the paint. Illinois’ guards need to drive to the hoop, and removing a 7-foot big man is important. It will also give Illinois more options if Ivisic pops out and has an open three-pointer. I expect a big night out of him.
3. Can the Illini get out in transition more?
In the Underwood era, Illinois has been more of an up-tempo program. We have thrived out in space, and that has been the calling card for this team for quite some time now.
That hasn’t been the same this season, though. Underwood has mentioned getting out in transition in press conferences, but it just isn’t translating onto the court.
So far this season, Illinois is averaging 71.0 possessions per game, which ranks No. 218 in the nation. That number has dropped over the last three contests, as in that stretch, we are averaging just 66.4 possessions per game.
That number is off compared to just last season. Illinois was averaging 74.4 possessions per game in 2024-25, which ranked No. 16 in the country.
Now, there is more nuance to the numbers. You will have more possessions in a game if you aren’t making as many shots and have more chances for rebounds because of that. Illinois has a better shooting percentage from the floor and three-point arc this season.
With that being said, even EvanMiya.com has Illinois’ tempo off compared to what it should be under Underwood. Illinois only ranks No. 168 in the country in tempo rank.
I think this kind of goes hand in hand with the previous section. Ivisic is going to be important. I want to see near double-digit rebounds so he can get Illinois in transition. Get the rebound and start moving the ball up the court.
Monday night needs to have one motto: rebound and run. Get the ball and go. Let’s run Missouri right out of St. Louis.