ST. LOUIS – They may be alumni, but it is still Illinois and Missouri basketball.

“You know that school,” said former Illini Sergio McClain (1998-2001). “There is always bad blood and it is never going to end.”

And so what normally would be a friendly alumni game turned into a heated battle between old rivals, which Missouri won 56-51 on Friday night at the Savvis Center.

“It was a real physical game,” said former Illini Kendall Gill. “We were going at it. These guys were kind of dirty over there.”

In the middle of the fray was former Illini Lucas Johnson – as would be expected. Johnson found himself tangled up with Tiger alumni throughout the game. With just under two minutes left, Johnson and John Woods of Missouri fell at center court – causing the Illini bench to come on the court, making sure all were fine and to avoid a bigger scuffle.

“Getting mixed up and tangled up is going to happen,” Johnson said. “Every time it happened we got up and slapped each other on the back and everything was fine.”

Illinois built a 26-17 lead in the first half, behind six three-pointers, but Missouri ended the half on a 12-3 run, tying the game at 29. The Tigers scored the first basket of the second half and never trailed again.

The final three minutes of the game were as intense as this years Braggin’ Rights game. Illinois tried to erase a six-point deficit with a press. Players hustled like they were still teenagers. Missouri hit nine-of-10 free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Gill and Johnson, who scored 11 and 10 points respectively, led Illinois.

The coaching gave the game even more of a Braggin’ Rights feel as former Missouri coach Norm Stewart roamed the Tiger sidelines while Lou Henson coached Illinois.

“It is really special because some of these fellas I haven’t seen in a while,” Henson said. “Others I have but we all really got a chance to chat this afternoon.”

After the game, with players mulling around signing autographs and catching up with old friends, one questioned lingered. Do it again next year?

“It would be fun, maybe not for my own sake to do it every year, but maybe every other year,” Johnson said. “It would be a good time. It is a healthy rivalry. There is obviously no love loss between the two schools.”