>>Mizzou-Illinois "Braggin Rights" Game Tonight

(St. Louis, MO)  --  The Missouri-Illinois "Braggin Rights" rivalry returns to St. Louis tonight.  The eighth-ranked Tigers take on the 24th-ranked Fighting Illini at Scottrade Center in an 8 p.m. tipoff.  Mizzou blew out William & Mary 94-56 on Sunday to improve to a perfect 11-and-0.  Illinois beat Cornell 64-60 on Monday and is 11-and-1 overall.  Missouri beat Illinois 75-64 in last year's game.

>> Mizzou, Illini Bring 'Zest' To Annual Meeting

Missouri has won the last two Braggin' Rights games against Illinois and that's all the history junior guard Michael Dixon cares about.

The neutral-site holiday season border battle is 1 of the most energized, adrenaline filled games Dixon has played in. The stands are pretty much equally divided, half wearing orange and the other half black and gold, and both sides make plenty of noise.

Dixon remembers how much fun it's been to win, too, and wants to keep that feeling. Before he got to Missouri, Illinois had won nine in a row in the series.

Both schools are ranked heading into Thursday night's matchup in St. Louis. Missouri's seasoned unit under first-year coach Frank Haith is ranked No. 9 and Illinois is No. 25.