Missouri Downs Illinois in Braggin' Rights Game

Illinois led for 16:05 of the first half before Missouri took a 24-23 lead with 1:42 remaining before halftime and never trailed against. The Tigers opened the second half on a 13-5 run. 

Ayo Dosunmu led the Illini with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting and five rebounds. Kofi Cockburn added 13 points, including seven from the free throw line. 
Illinois returns to State Farm Center on Sunday, December 29 against North Carolina A&T.

Braggin' Rights Notes

• Illinois and Missouri played the 39th edition of Braggin' Rights. 

• Illinois leads the all-time series against Missouri, 32-18.

• Illinois leads the Braggin' Right series, 25-14. 

• Illinois leads the Braggin' Rights series in games played at Enterprise Center, 16-10.

• Illinois has won five of last seven Braggin' Rights games.

• Eight of last nine Braggin' Rights games have been decided by single digits.

Detroit Mercy 81, SIUE 55

DETROIT, Mich. – SIUE men's basketball fell to an eighth consecutive loss Saturday, dropping an 81-55 decision at Detroit Mercy.
SIUE fell to 2-10. Detroit Mercy also is 2-10.

SIUE was just 4-20 from the field in the first half and went into the locker room down 37-15 at the break. It was the lowest scoring half of basketball for the Cougars this season.

"It obviously starts with me," SIUE Head Coach Brian Barone said. "I have to evaluate whether it is starting lineups or preparation prior to the game. We're prepared know what's going on, but we need to start implementing it in a better way."

Horizon League preseason player of the year Antoine Davis scored a season-high 35 points for Detroit Mercy including 20 in the first half.

"When you have a guy who goes for 35 and 20 in the first half and you're having a dunk blocked at other end, it is deflating," Barone added. "We have a group of guys who are working hard. The score is not indicating that right now. Now we have to work a little different. We have to trust our togetherness, because it is being tested right now."

The Cougars played much better in the second half, shooting 15-31 from the field (48.4 percent).

"We have to change things. We have to fix some things," Barone said. "I am a positive person. I have a great job. But I am not going to sit here and say this is acceptable, because it isn't. We have to make changes. We have to do better. The good thing is that we have that opportunity moving forward."

Anselm Uzuegbunem led SIUE with a career-high 16 points, including 10 in the second half. He was 5-6 from the floor and 6-8 at the free throw line. He added five rebounds.

"Anselm just goes about his day," Barone said. "There's nothing else other than doing what he is supposed to do. It's a credit to him. He is leading by example. He came out in the second half and really was aggressive did some really good things."
Shamar Wright added a career-high 10 points He was 5-8 from the field.

"When you're establishing a culture, and you are doing things the right way for the first time in a while you cannot resort to 'here we go again,'" Barone added.

"There is no again. This is our now. This is us right now."

Justin Miller and Marquis Moore each added 12 points for Detroit Mercy. Moore was 4-4 from three-point range. Detroit Mercy was 13-27 from long range for the game.

SIUE will not play again until after Christmas when it plays host to Lindenwood-Belleville on Dec. 29 at First Community Arena.
"Moving forward we have to evaluate what choices we need to make to have success," Barone said. "We will have success, I don't doubt that."

Grand Canyon 85, EIU 63

PHOENIX – Grand Canyon knocked down 6-of-7 3-pointers early in the game to build an early double figure lead as the Lopes snapped Eastern Illinois three game win streak with an 85-63 win over the Panthers.

EIU fell to 7-5.  GCU improved to 5-9.

Carlos Johnson had the early 3-pointers for GCU as they jumped out to a 22-12 lead as he finished with 16 points.  Alessandro Lever then triggered a 14-0 run with six points down low finishing the night with 24 points.

George Dixon ended the GCU run with a lay-up with 9:45 to play.  The Panthers responded with a 7-0 run of its own with Mack Smith knocking down a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws.  Smith had 16 points including four 3-pointers as he extended his streak of consecutive games with a made 3-pointer to 61 games.

Josiah Wallace drained a 3-pointer with 50 seconds remaining in the half as GCU led 43-34.  Wallace finished with 18 points, his highest scoring total of the season.

In the second half GCU continued to dump the ball down low to Lever as the Lopes opened the half hitting 8-of-11 from the field.  GCU would finish the game shooting 46 percent from the field and 58 percent from 3-point range. 

The Panthers were held to 32 percent shooting for the night with Dixon the third EIU player in double figures with ten points.  Jordan Skipper-Brown pulled down 11 rebounds.