The Illinois Fighting Illini (8-2) travel to face off against the Missouri Tigers (7-4) on Friday, December 22nd. This game will be played at Enterprise Center in St. Louis and televised on FS1. Both Illinois and Missouri will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 ET.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs Missouri Tigers
The Illinois Fighting Illini Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Illinois, who are about to play their 11th game of the season, currently have an 8-2 record. In their last 10 road games, which includes games from last year, Illinois has a 3-7 record. Illinois currently holds an ATS record of 3-4-1, which is below the .500 mark. In road games, Illinois has a 1-0-1 record vs. the spread this season and has covered in 6 of their last ten games away from home, going 6-3-1 ATS.
Looking at their over/under performance through 10 games, Illinois has an over/under record of 3-5-0, with their games averaging 139.8 points per game on average. Looking at the Fighting Illini’s last three games, their over/under record is 2-1 with their games averaging 160 points per game.
The Missouri Tigers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
After 11 games played, Missouri currently holds a 7-4 record. In away games, the Tigers are 2-1, while at home they are 4-2. Looking at Missouri’s ATS performance, they have a current ATS record of 3-6 heading into today’s game. In their last ten games this season, Missouri is 3-2 vs. the spread.
Up to this point, games involving Missouri have had an average of 140.8 points per game, with the average over/under line set at 150.6 points. Their over/under record is 2-7-0. The Tigers have an over/under record of 2-1 in their last three games, with their games averaging 156 points per game.
Illinois Offense Breakdown
Illinois’ offense is coming off a strong performance, scoring 79 points against Tennessee. They had an overall field goal percentage of 35.4% and made 24/28 free throws. Terrence Shannon Jr. is leading the team in scoring at 20.9 points per contest. Marcus Domask has also been a key contributor with a PPG average of 11.8 going into the game.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terrence Shannon Jr. (G) | 20.9 | 3.9 | 2.4 |
| Marcus Domask (F) | 11.8 | 4.4 | 1.6 |
| Quincy Guerrier (F) | 8.7 | 6.7 | 0.3 |
Missouri Offense Breakdown
The Missouri offense is coming off a game where they scored 64 points against Kansas. They posted a field goal percentage of 41.4% and connected on 7 threes. The top scorer for the Tigers was Sean East with 21 points, while Nick Honor also added 17 to the scoreboard.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sean East (G) | 17.1 | 2.7 | 3.9 |
| Nick Honor (G) | 12.5 | 1.4 | 2.0 |
| Noah Carter (F) | 11.7 | 6.5 | 1.5 |
Illinois Team Defense
At this time, the Fighting Illini’s defense is positioned 19th in the country, permitting 61.8 points per game. On average, opposing teams are hitting 5.3 threes per game vs. Missouri. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 29.7%.
Missouri Team Defense
The Tigers’ defense is presently ranked 131st nationally, allowing an average of 69.8 points per contest. Against Kansas in their most recent game, the Missouri defense gave up a total of 73 points while allowing Kansas to hit 44% of their shots.
Fighting Illini vs Tigers Trends
- Through their last three road contests, the Fighting Illini offense has averaged 72 points per game while allowing an average of 72. Illinois posted an overall record of 1-2 while going 1-1-1 ATS.
- The Tigers are 3-0 ATS in their last three home games and 2-1 straight-up.
- As the betting underdog, the Tigers have an ATS mark of just 5-5 in their last ten games. Missouri posted a straight up mark of 4-6 in these matchups.
- Across their last five matchups as the betting favorite, the Fighting Illini have an overall record of 4-1 while going 2-2-1 against the spread.
Fighting Illini vs Tigers Prediction
Entering the game as underdogs with a spread of +6.5, the Tigers is our point spread pick. Our projections not only see them covering the spread but also indicate a solid chance of an outright victory. This is a good choice for those looking for a higher moneyline payout.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 150.5, and our model predicts the Fighting Illini and Tigers to score a combined 143 points. We recommend betting on the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:December 22, 2023 Illinois Fighting Illini, Missouri Tigers, Teams