The No. 24 Illinois Fighting Ilini are proving to have their hands full on Thursday night against the No. 8 Missouri Tigers, as they trail 41-30 on the road going into halftime. Missouri has been dominant on the run all night, outscoring Illinois by a stunning 15-0 figure on the fastbreak so far.
The Illini have struggled to slow the Tigers' offense so far, as Missouri has shot 52 percent from the field. Guard Phil Pressey has 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting so far tonight for Mizzou, and Michael Dixon is 8-for-8 from the free throw line as part of an 11-point first half.
Illinois hasn't been as effective on offense, but they're still within striking distance. D.J. Richardson has 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting, but the rest of the team is just 9-for-24 (37 percent) shooting from the field tonight. Star center Meyers Leonard didn't get much done, scoring just four points while snagging three rebounds and dishing two assists.
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