ST. LOUIS — Kasparas Jakucionis scored 21 points, including the go-ahead basket with 28 seconds left, and Illinois defeated Missouri 80-77 on Sunday in the annual Braggin’ Rights game between the nonconference rivals.
Illinois held the lead for nearly 30 minutes of game time, but a late rally by Missouri took the game down to the wire. An 11-0 run, capped by Trent Pierce’s layup, gave the Tigers a 68-67 lead with 4:13 to go.
Jakucionis hit a straight-on 3-pointer for a 75-72 Illinois lead with 2:01 remaining, but Missouri’s Tamar Bates hit a wide-open 3 in transition to tie it at 75 with 1:14 to go.
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After the teams exchanged free throws, Jakucionis — a freshman who has six consecutive 20-point games — drove the right side of the lane, stopped, pivoted and hit a turnaround jumper to put Illinois ahead 79-77 with 28 seconds left.
After a miss by Missouri, Kylan Boswell made 1 of 2 free throws for a three-point lead. Jacob Crews missed a 3-pointer that could have tied it for Missouri.
Boswell made 11 of 12 free throws and Jakucionis went 8-for-8 for Illinois, which was 22 of 23 from the line. Missouri made 28 free throws but shot only 76% from the line. There were 43 fouls in the game.
Boswell had 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists for Illinois (8-3). Tre White scored 13 and Tomislav Ivisic had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Mark Mitchell and Tony Perkins scored 18 points each and Bates had 17 for Missouri (10-2), which saw its 10-game winning streak end.
Illinois hosts Chicago State on Dec. 29 and Missouri hosts Alabama State on Dec. 30.
Oakland 72, Loyola 71
Oakland hit a buzzer-beater to win by a point and hand Loyola its second loss of the season Sunday during the Diamond Head Classic tournament in Hawaii.
The Golden Grizzlies (4-7) led by six at the half and as much as 10 with less than three minutes remaining, but the Ramblers (9-2) went on an 11-0 run capped by a Miles Rubin dunk to take the lead with 21 seconds left. The defense couldn’t hold on and Isaiah Jones made the last-minute layup for the Golden Grizzlies.
Rubin led the Ramblers and all scorers with 21 points and nine rebounds. The Golden Grizzlies were led by Allen Mukeba and Malcolm Christie, who each had 20 points. They got nine points from Jaylen Jones off the bench.
The Ramblers move to the consolation side of the eight-team tournament bracket and will face Charleston on Monday.
baiduhai staff contributed.