Brandon Paul News

ST. LOUIS – For Missouri, Wednesday was a night 10 years in the making. The Tigers defeated Illinois 81-68 in the 29th Annual Braggin' Rights game to earn their first victory in the series since 1999.

Missouri center Steve Moore kisses the Braggin' Rights trophy after the game between Missouri and Illinois at the Scottrade Center in St.

The Illini and Tigers started their annual St. Louis meetings in 1980. Since that time, Illinois has hit Christmas with 4 losses in just four of those 30 seasons: 1997-98: Illinois' 75-69 loss on Dec.

Illinois' nine-game winning streak in the annual "Braggin' Rights" game is not weighing heavily on Missouri players.

Illinois guard Brandon Paul defends Georgia guard Travis Leslie during their game Saturday in Duluth, Ga.

DULUTH, Ga. a ' Georgia came equipped for a heavyweight fight Saturday night, and all Illinois could answer with was middleweights.

They'll have Georgia on their minds today, but the Illini are also thinking about hunting Tigers in big-game St.

Illinois' D.J. Richardson goes up for a dunk during the basketball game against NIU at Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Nov.

Watching Illinois baskets fall like December snow late in the first half and early in the second Sunday, Western Michigan forward Flenard Whitfield had something to say to Illini forward Mike Davis.

Against Western Michigan, Illinois coach Bruce Weber was hoping his starters would build a big enough lead to enable him to go deep into his bench.

There's a task awaiting the surging University of Illinois basketball team in their remaining games this month: Win them all.

Jamie Russell dribbles the ball last season for the Wisconsin women's basketball team.

With his team up by 11 late in the game Tuesday night, an Illinois fan sitting near the Vanderbilt bench barked a good-natured complaint at Kevin Stallings as the Commodores coach worked the referees.

Illinois' Demetri McCamey passes the ball during the game against Vanderbilt at Assembly Hall on Tuesday, December 8. The Illini Defeated the Commodores 79-68. McCamey led the team with 23 points.

Finally, the Big Ten beat the ACC in its big Challenge. After 10 years of domination by the ACC, Jim Delany and the Big Ten had to be smiling.

If you have watched Illinois in its last three games, you might have noticed an unlikely candidate earning the lion's share of the minutes off the bench -- Jeff Jordan.

While freshmen Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson provided many of Illinois' highlights the past few weeks, junior forward Mike Tisdale didn't do much to attract attention as he blended into the action.

Illinois guard Demetri McCamey didn't know it at the time, but he had an opportunity to end nine years of Big Ten grief as he searched for a last-second shot against Clemson last season.

There was no half-court buzzer beater this time. And there weren't fans swarming the court and screaming with unbridled joy.

GAME DAY UTAH VS. ILLINOIS WHAT: Las Vegas Invitational WHEN: Today and Saturday WHERE: Orleans Arena TODAY'S SCHEDULE: Wofford-Southern noon, Seattle-Presbyterian 2:30 p.m., Oklahoma State-Bradley 5 p.m., Utah-Illinois 7:30 p.m. TV: None Illinois' Bruce Weber knows the way to the Final Four, having coached his 2004-05 team to the NCAA championship ...