How to Watch No. 18 Illinois vs. Missouri: TV, Tip-Off Time, More

What difference can a week – or, more accurately, nine days – make? The hope around Champaign is that it can move mountains, or at least recharge batteries, straighten out communication issues and conjure a competent, consistent defense. No. 18 Illinois (8-3), coming off a disheartening home loss to Nebraska, has a golden opportunity to tear off a significant run over the next few weeks, but if the Illini don't have their heads right for Monday's Braggin' Rights game against Missouri in St. Louis (7 p.m. CT, FSI), it will speak volumes about where this team is at.

That isn't to say that Missouri isn't capable of toppling a focused, motivated Illinois club, but the odds favor the Illini for a reason: the talent and depth on Brad Underwood's roster is almost overwhelming. Yet we've already seen how far talent alone goes against the likes of Alabama, UConn and even a sharp Cornhuskers squad. If the Illini aren't ready by now to bring steady effort, attention to execution and a bit of grit every time the ball goes up, they may never be.

Here’s more information on Illinois' Braggin' Rights showdown with Missouri:

How to watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Missouri Tigers

Who: Illinois Fighting Illini (8-3) vs. Missouri (10-2)
What: Non-conference matchup (Braggin' Rights game)
When: Monday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. CT
Where: Enterprise Center, St. Louis
TV/streaming: FS1
Radio/audio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (Champaign: WDWS 93.9 FM or 1400 AM; Chicago: WLS 890 AM); Fighting Illini Productions; Varsity Network App
Last week: Illinois was off last week, and most recently fell 83-80 to Nebraska on a buzzer-beating three by the Cornhuskers at State Farm Center in Champaign. Missouri has had almost as much time off as the Illini, most recently outgunning Bethune-Cookman 82-60 in Columbia on Dec. 14.
Series history: Illinois has a commanding 35-20 lead in the all-time series, and knocked off Missouri 80-77 in last year's Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis. The Illini have won two in a row against the Tigers after dropping four of their previous five in the series.

Highlights of Illinois' 80-77 McBride Homes Braggin' Rights victory over Missouri.#Illini | #HTTO | #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/cPNKxDZInR
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) December 23, 2024

What to know about Missouri

The Tigers have a productive offense built around forward Mark Mitchell (18.2 points per game), along with enough secondary options and perimeter shooting to make them dangerous on any given night. Allow them to heat up or start trading baskets with them, and you just might come up short. The good news for the Illini, at least in theory, is that Mizzou has struggled to get stops against the few Power 5-level opponents it has faced to this point.

Full highlights from today's win over Bethune-Cookman#MIZ 🐯 pic.twitter.com/kjWxjlQ5a2
— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) December 14, 2025

Illinois can't fall in love with the three against Missouri, if only because it would be letting the Tigers' rickety interior defense off the hook. The Illini have too many gifted downhill drivers and post-up threats not to pound Mizzou inside and, to get its perimeter looks, work inside-out. But in any case, if Illinois rebounds with intent and hits its free throws, it should be on solid ground Monday. For more on the matchup, check out our Illinois on SI First Look at Missouri.