LIVE BLOG: FINAL- Missouri 63, Illinois 56

ST. LOUIS -- Welcome to the Enterprise Center where Illinois (8-3, 1-1 in Big Ten Conference) will face Missouri (6-4) in the annual Braggin' Rights game.

I'm LOOKING LIVE...at the Enterprise press row in St. Louis where both teams are warming up as we're about 30 minutes from the opening tip.

NOTE: Please join us as we live-blog and discuss the Illini game here in our weekly Illini Gameday Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top right of the redesigned site and click the follow button.

You can log in with Facebook or Google and either way, it's free. That's right...IT'S FREE. From there, sound off in the comment section and share your reactions and observations with our staff and fellow members of the Illini Maven/Sports Illustrated community as we keep you up to date of the game in real-time.

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Game 12: Missouri vs. Illinois

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019: Noon CST, Enterprise Center in St. Louis

Capacity: 21,000

Records: Missouri 6-4; 15-17, 5-13 in Southern Conference in 2018-19. Illinois 8-3, 1-1 in Big Ten; 12-21, 7-13 in Big Ten Conference in 2018-19.

Line: Illinois by 3.5

Series notes: Illinois leads 32-17. Illinois leads 25-13 in St. Louis but Missouri currently owns the trophy after a 78-63 victory last season.

TV: SEC Network - Mike Morgan (PBP), Jon Sundvold (analyst)

Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (PBP), Deon Thomas (analyst) - The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, Sirius/XM 381 and at FightingIllini.com.

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Uniform Update: Illinois appears to be going with the all orange and there's a rumor Brad Underwood is going with the orange jacket today. Missouri will be in its yellow jerseys and yellow/black shorts.

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While we wait for pre-game updates, here's a look at the three keys and Matthew Stevens' prediction for tonight's game.

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FIRST HALF

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15:59 left in 1st: Illinois 7, Missouri 5 - Kofi Cockburn already with three points and Illinois knows early that Tilmon can't handle him 1-on-1. Trent Frazier doing an excellent job face guarding Mark Smith.

11:59 left in 1st: Illinois 13, Missouri 8 - Ayo Dosunmu is very active today with five points and four rebounds. He also guarded Mark Smith very well for about two minutes while Trent Frazier was out. First 6 minutes for Jeremiah Tilmon: No points, no rebounds, one foul.

7:43 left in 1st: Illinois 19, Missouri 16 - Mark Smith and Jeremiah Tilmon have combined so far for no points, no assists and three rebounds (all Mark Smith). Ayo Dosunmu with nine points and five rebounds.

3:26 left in 1st: Illinois 21, Missouri 20 - Giorgi Bezhanishvili picks up his fourth turnover and second foul in the same sequence. Pretty poor first 13 minutes for the sophomore. Missouri had made four of its last five FGs.

ILLINI TIMEOUT - 58.6 left in 1st: Missouri 26, Illinois 23 - You got to feel great if you're a Mizzou fan right now. Mark Smith and Jeremiah Tilmon haven't scored yet and the Tigers are up three.

MIZZOU TIMEOUT - 27.3 left in 1st: Missouri 26, Illinois 23 - Illinois is only 1 of 6 from 3-point range with the only make being from Giorgi. That won't get it done.

HALFTIME - Missouri 26, Illinois 23 - Illinois has eight turnovers and only 10 field goals. This first 20 minutes was played on Cuonzo Martin's terms and Missouri's pace. Again, Missouri got nothing from Mark Smith and Jeremiah Tilmon and lead by three.

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SECOND HALF

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Mizzou has held eight of its 10 opponents below their current season scoring average. Seven of those eight teams were held at least 10 points under their season scoring average.

Mizzou is now 20-0 under Cuonzo Martin when holding its foe to 59 or fewer points, and has won 28 of its last 29 games overall when doing that. Illinois w/ 8 turnovers and 1 of 6 from 3-point range.

ILLINI TIMEOUT - 16:08 left: Missouri 35, Illinois 26 - Illinois is 0 for 2 with three turnovers to start this half. Again, this game is being played at the pace and with the physicality Cuonzo Martin wants and needs. Illinois is not likely to win a physical, ugly game vs. Mizzou.

MEDIA TIMEOUT - 15:42 left: Missouri 35, Illinois 26 - Jeremiah Tilmon picks up his third foul as Trent Frazier goes to the line. Does Martin leave him in and if so or not, does Underwood demand Kofi Cockburn get some touches?

MEDIA TIMEOUT - 11:38 left: Missouri 43, Illinois 33 - Bad news for Illinois? They're 1 of 7 from the field in second half with four turnovers. More bad news for Illini? Mizzou is 8 of 13 in this half. Illini lucky to only be down 10 right now.

ILLINI TIMEOUT - 10:56 left: Missouri 47, Illinois 33 - Illinois with two more turnovers in the last 42 seconds. Illini completely out of sync on the offensive end and defensive glass.

MEDIA TIMEOUT - 7:44 left: Missouri 49, Illinois 37 - Missouri leads in second-chance points 14-4, the last two (Tilmon's dunk) likely to be a highlight clip run over and over before future Braggin' Rights games.

MEDIA TIMEOUT - 3:45 left: Missouri 53, Illinois 43 - Da'Monte Williams misses from point-blank range again after a steal in Illinois' full-court trap. WOW. Illinois with only four assists today, same as Missouri's Dru Smith.

MIZZOU TIMEOUT - 2:50 left: Missouri 53, Illinois 44

ILLINI TIMEOUT - 1:14 left: Missouri 57, Illinois 50 - Ayo Dosunmu with two straight buckets and he has 17 points today.