The No. 12 Missouri Tigers will try to win their fourth consecutive meeting with the Illinois Fighting Illini when the teams square off in their annual basketball battle on Saturday in St. Louis, Mo.. In order to do so, they'll have to hand the No. 10 Fighting Illini their first loss of the 2012-13 season.
No. 10 Illinois vs. No. 12 Missouri preview
The Fighting Illini will try to stay unbeaten as they head to Kansas City for a stiff test against a 9-1 Tigers squad.
The Illini (12-0) are off to a terrific start to the season, which has included a 78-61 blowout of Butler and an impressive 85-74 road win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs. Illinois is led by senior guard Brandon Paul, who is averaging 18.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. The 6'3 Illinois native is also shooting 39.8 percent from three-point range.
The Tigers (9-1), who rank second in the nation in rebounding with 46.8 per game, rely on a balanced attack that features four players averaging in double figures. Senior forward Laurence Bowers has been the team's most prolific scorer, averaging 16.3 points per game.
Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. ET at the Scottrade Center and the game will be televised on ESPN 2.
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