Mizzou turned the ball over 6 times in the first 5:41 and looked like it was completely out of its element playing Illinois' game. But the Tigers had just four turnovers in the final 14 minutes and shot 50% from the half, including 6/10 from three. When they held on to the ball, they were very good on offense.
Defensively, Trent Frazier is a bit of an issue. He's keeping Illinois alive with 17 points on 6/10 shooting, including 5/6 from three. The rest of the Illinois team has 18 points on 8/21 and just 1/9 from deep. Make somebody else shoot it. ANYBODY.
Jeremiah Tilmon wasn't a huge factor offensively after he got the early foul, but the Tigers are just a different team when he's on the floor. His second foul was garbage. He got hit in the face. If Tilmon can get to the under 16 timeout without a third foul, I like Missouri's chances.
Javon Pickett was really big in the 10-0 run that put Mizzou up late. Nice defense, a huge three at a time where it felt like Illinois had a chance to stretch the lead.
The sequence of the night was clearly back to back to back threes by Jordan Geist. You just can't overstate his importance to this team.
This feels like this game used to feel. The crowd is pretty big and very engaged. Every play seems like the biggest play of the game. The players are extremely emotional and into it (which could be good or bad honestly). That was never more evident than Mark Smith draining a three and screaming in the general direction of the Illinois bench. But it makes for a really fun game to watch.
If you're Cuonzo Martin, I think you're pretty happy with that half. It looked at the start like it could go the way this game has gone a lot in recent years. But Missouri settled down and outscored the Illini 35-23 over the last 16:25. Missouri looks like the better team. Now they've got to prove it.
Defensively, Trent Frazier is a bit of an issue. He's keeping Illinois alive with 17 points on 6/10 shooting, including 5/6 from three. The rest of the Illinois team has 18 points on 8/21 and just 1/9 from deep. Make somebody else shoot it. ANYBODY.
Jeremiah Tilmon wasn't a huge factor offensively after he got the early foul, but the Tigers are just a different team when he's on the floor. His second foul was garbage. He got hit in the face. If Tilmon can get to the under 16 timeout without a third foul, I like Missouri's chances.
Javon Pickett was really big in the 10-0 run that put Mizzou up late. Nice defense, a huge three at a time where it felt like Illinois had a chance to stretch the lead.
The sequence of the night was clearly back to back to back threes by Jordan Geist. You just can't overstate his importance to this team.
This feels like this game used to feel. The crowd is pretty big and very engaged. Every play seems like the biggest play of the game. The players are extremely emotional and into it (which could be good or bad honestly). That was never more evident than Mark Smith draining a three and screaming in the general direction of the Illinois bench. But it makes for a really fun game to watch.
If you're Cuonzo Martin, I think you're pretty happy with that half. It looked at the start like it could go the way this game has gone a lot in recent years. But Missouri settled down and outscored the Illini 35-23 over the last 16:25. Missouri looks like the better team. Now they've got to prove it.
