| Lineup | Illinois | PG - David Mann (fresh) SG - Marlon Everhart (fresh) SF - Zachery Baker (fresh) PF - John Stich (fresh) C - Craig Atkinson (fresh) | |
| Lineup | Mississippi State | PG - Frank Foss (fresh) SG - Kenneth Ovellette (fresh) SF - Robert Crosby (fresh) PF - William Bennett (fresh) C - James Krout (fresh) | |
| 20:00 | Illinois | Craig Atkinson wins the tip | 0-0 |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a motion offense (slowdown) and a 3-2 zone (-1) | |
| Game Plan | Mississippi State | Mississippi State is playing a motion offense (uptempo) and a man to man (-1) | |
| 19:36 | Illinois | John Stich's pass is off the mark and out of bounds | 0-0 |
| 19:22 | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette can't connect on a 3 from the left wing | 0-0 |
| 19:20 | Illinois | Craig Atkinson grabs the board | 0-0 |
| 19:16 | Illinois | Marlon Everhart is fouled on the floor by Kenneth Ovellette - foul #1 on Kenneth Ovellette, team foul #1 | 0-0 |
| 18:53 | Illinois | Zachery Baker comes up short on the 3 pointer from straight away | 0-0 |
| 18:51 | Mississippi State | The rebound goes to James Krout | 0-0 |
| 18:42 | Mississippi State | William Bennett makes the jumper from the baseline on a nice dish by Robert Crosby | 0-2 |
| 18:13 | Illinois | John Stich loses the ball out of bounds | 0-2 |
| 17:58 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby hits a shot from just outside the lane | 0-4 |
| 17:38 | Illinois | David Mann banks in the layup on a great pass from John Stich | 2-4 |
| 17:24 | Mississippi State | William Bennett is fouled on the floor by John Stich - foul #1 on John Stich, team foul #1 | 2-4 |
| 17:05 | Mississippi State | William Bennett clanks a fadeaway from the free throw line but he's hacked by John Stich - foul #2 on John Stich, team foul #2 | 2-4 |
| Subs | Illinois | James Young (PF) John Stich | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | | |
| 17:05 | Mississippi State | William Bennett makes the 1st free throw | 2-5 |
| 17:05 | Mississippi State | William Bennett makes the 2nd free throw | 2-6 |
| 16:52 | Illinois | Marlon Everhart misses long on a fadeaway jumper from the free throw line | 2-6 |
| 16:50 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby snags the defensive board | 2-6 |
| 16:45 | Mississippi State | Marlon Everhart takes the ball from Kenneth Ovellette | 2-6 |
| 16:42 | Illinois | Marlon Everhart banks in the layup | 4-6 |
| 16:31 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby clanks a 3pt shot from the left corner | 4-6 |
| 16:30 | Illinois | David Mann gets the rebound | 4-6 |
| 16:03 | Illinois | David Mann jams it on a great pass from Craig Atkinson and he's hacked by James Krout - foul #1 on James Krout, team foul #2 | 6-6 |
| Subs | Illinois | Matthew McDonald (SG), Floyd Kent (C) Marlon Everhart, Craig Atkinson | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | | |
| 16:03 | Illinois | David Mann makes the free throw | 7-6 |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - David Mann (fresh) 5 pts. SG - Matthew McDonald (fresh) SF - Zachery Baker (fresh) PF - James Young (fresh) C - Floyd Kent (fresh) | |
| Lineup | Mississippi State | PG - Frank Foss (fresh) SG - Kenneth Ovellette (fresh) SF - Robert Crosby (fresh) 2 pts. 1 ast. PF - William Bennett (fresh) 4 pts. C - James Krout (fresh) | |
| 15:46 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby buries a 3pt jumper from the right corner on a great pass from Kenneth Ovellette | 7-9 |
| 15:18 | Illinois | David Mann is whistled for an offensive foul - foul #1 on David Mann, team foul #3 | 7-9 |
| Subs | Illinois | Marlon Everhart (SG), John Pledger (SF) David Mann, Zachery Baker | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | David Berta (PG), Frederick Proctor (SF), Ronald Fleming (PF), George Vangilder (C) Frank Foss, Robert Crosby, William Bennett, James Krout | |
| 15:15 | Mississippi State | David Berta travels in the backcourt | 7-9 |
| 14:48 | Illinois | Marlon Everhart drills a floater from the free throw line on a nice dish by Matthew McDonald | 9-9 |
| 14:34 | Mississippi State | David Berta hits the front of the rim on the pull-up jumper from the left wing but he's hacked by Marlon Everhart - foul #1 on Marlon Everhart, team foul #4 | 9-9 |
| Subs | Illinois | Craig Atkinson (C) Floyd Kent | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | | |
| 14:34 | Mississippi State | David Berta makes the 1st free throw | 9-10 |
| 14:34 | Mississippi State | David Berta makes the 2nd free throw | 9-11 |
| 14:17 | Illinois | Marlon Everhart steps out of bounds on the baseline | 9-11 |
| Subs | Illinois | Zachery Baker (SF), Floyd Kent (C) John Pledger, James Young | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby (SF), William Bennett (PF), James Krout (C) Kenneth Ovellette, Ronald Fleming, George Vangilder | |
| 14:00 | Mississippi State | The short jumper by William Bennett is denied by Craig Atkinson | 9-11 |
| 13:58 | Illinois | Matthew McDonald pulls down the rebound | 9-11 |
| 13:51 | Illinois | Matthew McDonald's pass is intercepted by David Berta in the backcourt | 9-11 |
| 13:42 | Mississippi State | Matthew McDonald picks off the pass by William Bennett | 9-11 |
| 13:39 | Illinois | Matthew McDonald lays it in | 11-11 |
| 13:31 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby travels with the ball | 11-11 |
| Subs | Illinois | David Mann (PG) Marlon Everhart | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Frank Foss (PG) David Berta | |
| 13:12 | Illinois | David Mann knocks in the fadeaway jumper from the left wing | 13-11 |
| 13:00 | Mississippi State | James Krout throws a bad pass out of bounds | 13-11 |
| Subs | Illinois | Marlon Everhart (SG), James Young (PF) Matthew McDonald, Floyd Kent | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette (SG) Robert Crosby | |
| 12:31 | Illinois | Zachery Baker misses the 3pt attempt from the right wing | 13-11 |
| 12:29 | Mississippi State | Frank Foss grabs the defensive rebound | 13-11 |
| 12:25 | Mississippi State | William Bennett misses short on a floater from the right side | 13-11 |
| 12:23 | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette pulls down the offensive rebound | 13-11 |
| 12:15 | Mississippi State | James Krout's pass is intercepted by David Mann | 13-11 |
| 12:12 | Illinois | David Mann banks in the layup | 15-11 |
| 12:00 | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette hits a 3 from the left corner on a great pass from Frank Foss | 15-14 |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - David Mann (fresh) 9 pts. SG - Marlon Everhart (fairly fresh) 4 pts. SF - Zachery Baker (fairly fresh) PF - James Young (fresh) C - Craig Atkinson (fairly fresh) | |
| Lineup | Mississippi State | PG - Frank Foss (fresh) 1 ast. SG - Kenneth Ovellette (fresh) 3 pts. 1 ast. SF - Frederick Proctor (fairly fresh) PF - William Bennett (fairly fresh) 4 pts. C - James Krout (fairly fresh) | |
| 11:36 | Illinois | Craig Atkinson throws it down on a great pass from David Mann | 17-14 |
| 11:21 | Mississippi State | Marlon Everhart steps in front of the Frank Foss pass | 17-14 |
| 11:06 | Illinois | Zachery Baker knocks in the 3 from the right corner set up by David Mann | 20-14 |
| 10:56 | Mississippi State | William Bennett misses short on a jumper from the free throw line | 20-14 |
| 10:55 | Mississippi State | Frank Foss tips it in | 20-16 |
| 10:34 | Illinois | David Mann misses long on a shot from the baseline | 20-16 |
| 10:32 | Illinois | The offensive rebound goes to Zachery Baker | 20-16 |
| 10:13 | Illinois | Zachery Baker misses the fadeaway jumper from the right wing but the foul's on William Bennett - foul #1 on William Bennett, team foul #3 | 20-16 |
| Subs | Illinois | Matthew McDonald (SG), Floyd Kent (C) Marlon Everhart, Craig Atkinson | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | David Berta (PG), Robert Crosby (SF), Ronald Fleming (PF), George Vangilder (C) Frank Foss, Frederick Proctor, William Bennett, James Krout | |
| 10:13 | Illinois | Zachery Baker makes the 1st free throw | 21-16 |
| 10:13 | Illinois | Zachery Baker makes the 2nd free throw | 22-16 |
| 10:03 | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette misses badly on a 3pt jumper from the right wing | 22-16 |
| 10:01 | Mississippi State | Ronald Fleming grabs the offensive rebound | 22-16 |
| 09:52 | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette misses badly on a 3pt jumper from the left wing | 22-16 |
| 09:50 | Illinois | James Young grabs the board | 22-16 |
| 09:22 | Illinois | James Young misses badly on a pull-up jumper from the right wing but he's fouled by David Berta - foul #1 on David Berta, team foul #4 | 22-16 |
| Subs | Illinois | John Pledger (SF) Zachery Baker | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | | |
| 09:22 | Illinois | James Young makes the 1st free throw | 23-16 |
| 09:22 | Illinois | James Young makes the 2nd free throw | 24-16 |
| 09:18 | Mississippi State | David Berta is called for traveling in the backcourt | 24-16 |
| 08:57 | Illinois | David Mann throws a bad pass out of bounds | 24-16 |
| 08:41 | Mississippi State | George Vangilder misses short on a floater near the basket but he's fouled by Floyd Kent - foul #1 on Floyd Kent, team foul #5 | 24-16 |
| Subs | Illinois | Marlon Everhart (SG) David Mann | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Frank Foss (PG) Kenneth Ovellette | |
| 08:41 | Mississippi State | George Vangilder makes the 1st free throw | 24-17 |
| 08:41 | Mississippi State | George Vangilder makes the 2nd free throw | 24-18 |
| 08:17 | Illinois | Matthew McDonald clanks a 3pt attempt from the left corner | 24-18 |
| 08:16 | Illinois | Floyd Kent grabs the offensive board | 24-18 |
| 07:56 | Illinois | Matthew McDonald connects on the fadeaway jumper from the free throw line | 26-18 |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Matthew McDonald (fresh) 4 pts. 1 ast. SG - Marlon Everhart (fairly fresh) 4 pts. 2 stl. SF - John Pledger (fresh) PF - James Young (fairly fresh) 2 pts. C - Floyd Kent (fresh) | |
| Lineup | Mississippi State | PG - Frank Foss (fresh) 2 pts. 1 ast. SG - David Berta (fresh) 2 pts. SF - Robert Crosby (fresh) 5 pts. 1 ast. PF - George Vangilder (fresh) 2 pts. C - Ronald Fleming (fresh) | |
| 07:32 | Mississippi State | John Pledger is called for the reach on George Vangilder - foul #1 on John Pledger, team foul #6 | 26-18 |
| Subs | Illinois | David Mann (PG), Craig Atkinson (C) Matthew McDonald, Floyd Kent | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Frederick Proctor (SG), William Bennett (PF), James Krout (C) David Berta, George Vangilder, Ronald Fleming | |
| 07:13 | Mississippi State | Frederick Proctor's layup is rejected by James Young | 26-18 |
| 07:12 | Illinois | James Young pulls down the rebound | 26-18 |
| 07:08 | Illinois | David Mann's layup is rejected by James Krout | 26-18 |
| 07:07 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby pulls down the rebound | 26-18 |
| 06:44 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby misses long on a 3 pointer from the right wing | 26-18 |
| 06:42 | Illinois | Craig Atkinson grabs the defensive rebound | 26-18 |
| 06:17 | Illinois | Craig Atkinson's pass is off the mark and out of bounds | 26-18 |
| Subs | Illinois | Matthew McDonald (SG), Zachery Baker (SF), John Stich (PF) Marlon Everhart, John Pledger, James Young | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Maximo Bianchi (PG), Kenneth Ovellette (SG) Frank Foss, Robert Crosby | |
| 06:08 | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette makes the 3pt attempt from the left corner | 26-21 |
| 05:40 | Illinois | Zachery Baker clanks a 3pt attempt from the right wing | 26-21 |
| 05:39 | Mississippi State | The rebound goes to William Bennett | 26-21 |
| 05:33 | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette buries a 3pt shot from the right corner set up by Maximo Bianchi | 26-24 |
| 05:13 | Illinois | John Stich blows the layup but he's hacked by William Bennett - foul #2 on William Bennett, team foul #5 | 26-24 |
| Subs | Illinois | Floyd Kent (C) Craig Atkinson | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | David Berta (PG), Robert Crosby (SF), Ronald Fleming (PF), George Vangilder (C) Maximo Bianchi, Frederick Proctor, William Bennett, James Krout | |
| 05:13 | Illinois | John Stich makes the 1st free throw | 27-24 |
| 05:13 | Illinois | John Stich makes the 2nd free throw | 28-24 |
| 05:02 | Mississippi State | Floyd Kent swats the short shot by George Vangilder | 28-24 |
| 05:00 | Illinois | David Mann grabs the board | 28-24 |
| 04:37 | Illinois | John Stich misses short on a jumper from the right side | 28-24 |
| 04:36 | Mississippi State | George Vangilder snags the defensive board | 28-24 |
| 04:29 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby is fouled on the floor by Zachery Baker - foul #1 on Zachery Baker, team foul #7 | 28-24 |
| Subs | Illinois | Marlon Everhart (SG) David Mann | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Frank Foss (PG) David Berta | |
| 04:29 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby makes the 1st free throw | 28-25 |
| 04:29 | Mississippi State | Robert Crosby makes the 2nd free throw | 28-26 |
| 04:05 | Illinois | John Stich misses the pull-up jumper from the left side | 28-26 |
| 04:03 | Illinois | John Stich grabs the offensive rebound | 28-26 |
| 03:47 | Illinois | George Vangilder is called for the reach on Marlon Everhart - foul #1 on George Vangilder, team foul #6 | 28-26 |
| Subs | Illinois | David Mann (PG) Matthew McDonald | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Frederick Proctor (SG), David Berta (SF), William Bennett (PF), James Krout (C) Kenneth Ovellette, Robert Crosby, Ronald Fleming, George Vangilder | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - David Mann (fairly fresh) 9 pts. 2 ast. SG - Marlon Everhart (fresh) 4 pts. 2 stl. SF - Zachery Baker (fresh) 5 pts. PF - John Stich (fresh) 2 pts. C - Floyd Kent (fresh) | |
| Lineup | Mississippi State | PG - Frank Foss (fresh) 2 pts. 1 ast. SG - Frederick Proctor (fresh) SF - David Berta (fresh) 2 pts. PF - William Bennett (fresh) 4 pts. C - James Krout (fresh) | |
| 03:27 | Illinois | David Mann makes the shot from the left block on a great pass from John Stich and he's fouled by Frank Foss - foul #1 on Frank Foss, team foul #7 | 30-26 |
| Subs | Illinois | Craig Atkinson (C) Floyd Kent | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | | |
| 03:27 | Illinois | David Mann makes the free throw | 31-26 |
| 03:15 | Mississippi State | William Bennett hits a fadeaway jumper from the left wing | 31-28 |
| 03:00 | Illinois | Craig Atkinson jams it on a nice dish by David Mann and he's fouled by James Krout - foul #2 on James Krout, team foul #8 | 33-28 |
| 03:00 | Illinois | Craig Atkinson misses the free throw | 33-28 |
| 03:00 | Mississippi State | William Bennett snags the defensive board | 33-28 |
| 02:43 | Mississippi State | Frederick Proctor hits a 3 from the left wing on a great pass from David Berta | 33-31 |
| 02:38 | Illinois | John Stich jams it on a nice dish by Craig Atkinson | 35-31 |
| 02:17 | Mississippi State | William Bennett hits the finger roll set up by James Krout and he's hacked by David Mann - foul #2 on David Mann, team foul #8 | 35-33 |
| Subs | Illinois | Matthew McDonald (PG), John Pledger (SF) David Mann, Zachery Baker | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette (SG) Frank Foss | |
| 02:17 | Mississippi State | William Bennett makes the free throw | 35-34 |
| 02:01 | Illinois | Craig Atkinson hits the front of the rim on the turnaround from the right block | 35-34 |
| 01:59 | Mississippi State | William Bennett grabs the defensive rebound | 35-34 |
| 01:31 | Mississippi State | Frederick Proctor misses long on a 3pt shot from the right wing | 35-34 |
| 01:30 | Illinois | The rebound goes to John Stich | 35-34 |
| 01:01 | Illinois | Craig Atkinson is called for a backcourt violation | 35-34 |
| Subs | Illinois | David Mann (PG), Zachery Baker (SF), James Young (PF), Floyd Kent (C) Marlon Everhart, John Pledger, John Stich, Craig Atkinson | |
| Subs | Mississippi State | Frank Foss (PG), Robert Crosby (SF), Ronald Fleming (PF), George Vangilder (C) David Berta, Frederick Proctor, William Bennett, James Krout | |
| 00:52 | Mississippi State | Frank Foss can't connect on a fadeaway from the left wing | 35-34 |
| 00:51 | Illinois | James Young gets the rebound | 35-34 |
| 00:23 | Illinois | James Young is hacked by Ronald Fleming - foul #1 on Ronald Fleming, team foul #9 | 35-34 |
| 00:23 | Illinois | James Young makes the 1st free throw | 36-34 |
| 00:23 | Illinois | James Young makes the 2nd free throw | 37-34 |
| 00:00 | Mississippi State | Kenneth Ovellette misses short on a 3pt attempt from the left corner | 37-34 |