"It was a big game," Rayvonte Rice said after Illinois beat No. 23 Missouri 65-64 in the annual Braggin' Rights game Saturday.
Rice got a chance to celebrate because teammate Tracy Abrams kept his emotions in check. Abrams made two free throws with 4.6 seconds left for the decisive points.
Abrams scored a season-best 22 points and Rice added 14 points for Illinois (10-2), which snapped a four-game losing streak in the 33rd renewal of the annual neutral-court matchup.