RedRocksIllini
- Morrison, CO
Funny how Pickett and Hawkins have the exact same expression. Pretty sure I had the same look on my face when that went down.
Illinois 88, Missouri 63 Postgame
Hopefully Kofi is our starting Center next year. I give it 20% odds. (Not trying to start this convo again)
Beyond Kofi I don’t see any way Payne is the go to guy. Dainja,BBV, and even Lieb could all be in line for minutes and if Kofi leaves we are gonna be looking might prime for a good transfer
I was just checking out Mizzou's future and man it looks bleak. The highest rated player in their current freshman class is #166 on 247. That Brazile kid looks like he could be a steal...was a 185 rating. But will he even want to stick around through the dumpster fire?
I disagree. That format makes my eyes bleed.
The next transfer has been proclaimed to be better for no particular reason.
We really need to get a fifth year guy like plummer if we're going to stay on top. IMO.
He'll stick as long as they pay him. This is likely his last head coaching gig. This makes the John Groce era look like John Wooden
I grew up in an Illinois-side St. Louis suburb, so that's probably why it's a big deal to me personally. Probably close to the same number of kids from my HS attending Mizzou as U of I. Probably similar feel to Iowa for those growing up in the Chicago burbs.
Love the win, but we still had that streak where we had four turnovers in ten(ish) possessions, had trouble even getting off a shot, and we're missing the shots we did get off. I would like to see the guys get ticked off about those, and show DETERMINATION to end them. Not sure I saw that. Lack of determination to end a stretch like that leads to results like the (close your ears) Loyola game. On the optimistic side, on-fire Trent is showing that he might have what it takes to pull the team out of those (as he did in the first half of that Arizona game.)
I grew up in central Illinois and live in STL now. It started for me as a family rivalry since several cousins went to Mizzou. A lot of my wife’s family is from STL and are Mizzou fans even though none of them went there. My wife was 50-50 and made her college choice based on the result of the 2003 Bragging Rights game, or so she says. Thankfully we won.
Retro62
- North Bethesda, Maryland
I grew up in the QC’s, so I see that as the real flashpoint for UI vs. Iowa. Anyway, I’m glad you finally get something to crow about with our win.
They've got the #52 player in the '22 class.
Aidan Shaw, Missouri Tigers, Small Forward
Aidan Shaw is a 6-7, 175-pound Small Forward from Stilwell, KS.
247sports.com
I think Cuonzo has some time. He’s getting along with the new AD. However, if no improvement next season, she might pull the rug from underneath him.
She likes the upward tick on the football side, she wants to see something similar on the b-ball side.
She likes the upward tick on the football side, she wants to see something similar on the b-ball side.
Homecoming 2019
- Chicago
Friendly reminder to always be grateful for Dan the Man.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Clownzo...............................
I grew up and live in West Central Illinois on the Mississippi with border of both Iowa and Missouri just across the river. I have a healthy hatred of both, but my hatred for Iowa is much greater based on fan behavior in my area.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Illinois blitzes Mizzou in Tigers' second-most lopsided Braggin' Rights loss
Tigers had no answer for Illini threes and Kofi Cockburn
Brad Underwood wanted his Illini to bring more intensity to the Braggin’ Rights Game this year.
The fifth-year Illinois men’s basketball coach entered Wednesday’s annual rivalry game with a 1-3 record in the holiday tradition. His only win came in his 2017 debut season. He made the point repeatedly this week that he was challenging his players and himself to match the energy level rival fifth-year Tigers coach Cuonzo Martin’s Tigers had flashed during Mizzou’s three-year winning streak.
Message received. Mizzou’s streak, snapped. Significantly so.
With sharpshooting guards firing away from behind the arc and 7-foot center Kofi Cockburn having his way with any Tiger who dared to cross his path, Illinois blitzed Mizzou 88-63 in front of a smaller than normal but much more orange than black-and-gold crowd at Enterprise Center.
“That was the focus, out-toughen them,” Cockburn said.
The Illini (9-3) looked every bit deserving of the No. 11 ranking they secured to start the season and later lost. They poured in 12 3-pointers on 25 attempts. When they weren’t splashing in threes, they were feeding Cockburn, who went from two rebounds shy of his fifth consecutive double-double at intermission, to a game-high 25 points and 14 rebounds — in just 29 minutes. It was the junior center’s first Braggin’ Rights win, and he relished it, pumping up Illini fans before tip-off and testing the fortitude of the basket with dunks that left the backboard quivering.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I love the smell of "" misery "" misery in the morning.......I really really really do..............................................
It must SUK to be in the minority of fan support living in your home state and rooting for the state school!
You have my deepest respect sir. Hopefully we will have many years to come of always being for the winning team.
I am not certain of this, but I think BU encouraged Pickett to de-commit.
Kofi coming back for 2 more years
illini80
- Forgottonia
This isn’t accurate. He decommitted along with Tillman when underwood was hired and then wanted back in but wasn’t re offered.
I grew up Chicago suburbs, but I love this rivalry game. My reasoning:
- as stated earlier, you can hate Mizzou in all of their games (never rooting for them non-con, never needing them to win for standings, etc)
- it’s a border war that in theory matters equally to them (vs IU as an example who would surely list PU as the bigger rivalry)
- most importantly, it’s once a year and neutral court. No chance to atone for a loss for 365 days. It either boosts your Christmas or dampens it. No “it’s ok to lose a road game” justification. No, “we’ll get ‘em back in four weeks”. It is, quite simply, one full year of Braggin Rights.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Hochman: Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn shows Mizzou what dominance looks like
The 7-footer scores 25 points in 29 minutes.
Forty minutes before tipoff, on the Enterprise Center court, the giant began to juggle a basketball with his gargantuan orange Nikes.
And this wasn’t a couple lucky kicks. This was Messi-esque — the 7-footer Kofi Cockburn juggling it like a soccer ball, laces to thigh to laces again. The Illinois hoops star even broke off a “rainbow” move, using both feet to flick up a kick with a backheel.
And then, for his next trick, he kicked Missouri’s aspirations of possibly beating a good team.
Can one lone human represent the difference between two basketball programs?
Missouri had no answer for him. Not standout Kobe Brown. Not 7-foot-3 reserve Jordan Wilmore. Not even sure how the great Steve Stipanovich — watching from the stands Wednesday — could’ve done in his prime.
He made many baskets Wednesday, but only one was registered by the Richter Scale.
With Cockburn running behind the play, a pass from the wing accidentally was tipped his direction. With the momentum of the moment, Cockburn caught it behind the 3-point line at the top of the key … hopped toward the free throw line with one foot … into the lane with the other foot … and then … just … took … off.
He flew.
It seemed, at first, as if he was jumping from too far away. Was he going to make it all the way to the rim? He is, after all, large. Checks in at 285 pounds. But the dude flew. One-handed dunk, a Giannis-like jam. When he landed, St. Louis shook.
For someone such as Illinois coach Brad Underwood, these games are pressure-cookers. He’s on the clock, in the moment, insert the cliché. So after Wednesday’s win, I asked Underwood if he’s able at all to enjoy the dominance that is Kofi?
“Oh hell yes,” he said.
This was a pretty special night, a chance for those to say they saw him play. And really — Illinois as a team is a special club. The Illini’s ability to space the floor, work the ball, unflappably fling 3s — and work their big man in the low post? When they’re clicking, they’re one of the better teams in the Big Ten Conference. And they’re definitely the better of the two teams in the Braggin’ Rights Game. The question is — can Cockburn, Trent Frazier and friends rise when it matters most? Last year, they dominated January and February, but lost too soon in March.
This year, Cockburn is playing like a man who wants to dunk a basketball in April.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I said "" Oh hell yes ""
Last edited:
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Photos: Illinois 88, Missouri 63 in 2021 Braggin' Rights game
The Illini of Illinois were too much for the Tigers in the annual 2021 Mizzou v Illinois Braggin' Rights basketball game in St. Louis' Enterprise Center.
A lot of good photo's from the game.....
One of the Illini accounts tagged him on instagram last night so I looked at his page. He has less than 10 photos. 3 of them are from BR the last 3 years. Obviously this game is one he has circled