HawkeyeSports.com – It was a game that lived up to the entertainment factor, but it was No. 19 Illinois that ended on top as the Fighting Illini downed the seventh-ranked University of Iowa men’s basketball team, 80-75, on Friday night at the State Farm Center.
In a seesaw game that had eight ties and a whopping 22 lead changes, the Illini scored nine of the final 12 points to snap the Hawkeyes’ three-game Big Ten road winning streak.
Iowa took a 72-71 lead on a Joe Wieskamp 3-pointer with 2:42 remaining before Jacob Grandison answered just 19 seconds later to put Illinois up 74-72.
After two Andre Curbelo free throws pushed the lead to four, the Hawkeyes appeared to trim the lead to a field goal with 73 seconds remaining when Kofi Cockburn was whistled for goaltending, but video replay took the points off the board as it was ruled a block. Iowa left the possession empty-handed following a turnover.
After two Trent Frazier free throws pushed the lead to six, Jordan Bohannon drilled a 3 (78-75) with 12 seconds left and Iowa’s defense forced a five-second call to give Iowa a last chance. Following a timeout, Bohannon was called upon again, but his contested 3 drew front iron.
Cockburn grabbed the rebound and was fouled. After he missed the front end of the 1-on-1, he got his own miss and was fouled again before making both free throws to seal the victory.
Illinois had a higher field goal (50 to 43.1) and 3-point field goal (42.1 to 40) percentage and they made 11 more free throws (14 to 3) in the game. The Illini out-rebounded Iowa, 39-33.
Senior Luka Garza and Wieskamp paced the Hawkeyes with 19 points. Junior Connor McCaffery finished with a season-high 11 points and five assists, while Keegan Murray scored eight points and had a team-high eight rebounds in his first career start.
Ayu Dosunmu and Frazier combined for 49 of Illinois’ 80 points. Dosunmu scored 25 points on 11-of-18 shooting, while Frazier scored 24 with four 3-pointers.
The Hawkeyes return to action Tuesday, hosting Michigan State on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
