Who's Playing

Illinois-Chicago @ Missouri State

Current Records: Illinois-Chicago 9-12; Missouri State 10-10

What to Know

Get ready for a Missouri Valley battle as the Illinois-Chicago Flames and the Missouri State Bears will face off at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday at Great Southern Bank Arena. Given that these two teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.

Illinois-Chicago was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap this past Saturday as they fell 78-72 to the Northern Iowa Panthers. The losing side was boosted by guard Tre Anderson, who shot 6-for-7 from beyond the arc and finished with 27 points and seven dimes. Anderson hadn't helped his team much against the Valparaiso Beacons last Tuesday, so this was a nice turnaround for him.

Meanwhile, MSU was close but no cigar this past Saturday as they fell 61-57 to the Southern Illinois Salukis. Forward Jonathan Mogbo put forth a good effort for the losing side as he posted a double-double on 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The Flames are the clear underdogs, so they're hoping it's the size of the fight that determines this one. Those sticking with them against the spread have guts, to put it politely, as the team has let down bettors in their past three games.

Illinois-Chicago is now 9-12 while MSU sits at 10-10. A couple offensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: Illinois-Chicago has only been able to knock down 41.50% percent of their shots, which is the 28th lowest field goal percentage in college basketball. The Bears have experienced some struggles of their own as they are stumbling into the game with the 24th fewest points per game in college basketball, having accrued only 65.7 on average. It's possible one of these Achilles' heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.

How To Watch

  • When: Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET
  • Where: Great Southern Bank Arena -- Springfield, Missouri
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Ticket Cost: $18.90

Odds

The Bears are a big 13-point favorite against the Flames, according to the latest college basketball odds.

The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 13-point spread, and stayed right there.

Over/Under: -111

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Series History

Missouri State won the only game these two teams have played in the last nine years.

  • Nov 30, 2022 - Missouri State 66 vs. Illinois-Chicago 51