Illinois-Missouri: Illini Look to Topple Familiar Foe

After running a "gauntlet" of second rate opponents, tonight's matchup against surprise Top 25 Missouri should tell the Illini and their fans just how good head coach Bruce Weber's 2008-09 edition of his team is. A lackluster performance against the Detroit Titans, highlighted by a season-high 20 turnovers, has left more than a few Illinois fans feeling just a bit queasy as the team enters into a difficult stretch where the Illini will take on Missouri, Eastern Michigan, and then begin Big Ten play. Some experts predicted a disappointing season for the Missouri Tigers, with a finish in the bottom half of the Big 12 considered almost a certainty.  But so far, the Tigers have worked hard to prove prognosticators wrong.  A 9-1 start to the year, punctuated with an 11-point win over the then 19th-ranked USC Trojans, has Missouri jumping into the AP poll at No. 25. The Tigers have been led by a high scoring duo in seniors DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyon.  Both players are averaging ... (link)