Hawkeyes Fall in Champaign

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The University of Iowa men’s basketball team fell to Illinois, 81-61, on Tuesday night at the State Farm Center. The Hawkeyes move to 15-13 on the season and 6-11 in Big Ten Conference play.

After falling down 24-11 with just under 11 minutes to play in the half, the Hawkeyes responded with an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to just two. The Iowa defense forced the Illini to miss eight straight field goals. Illinois went on a four-minute scoring drought.

The Illini would respond as at the half the Hawkeyes trailed, 37-30. Seven different Hawkeyes scored in the first 20 minutes as sophomore Ladji Dembele led the way with seven points and three rebounds. Iowa shot 13-of-30 (43.3 percent) from the field and 2-of-7 (28.6 percent) from deep in the first 20 minutes. The Hawkeyes outrebounded Illinois, 20-17, in the first half. Illinois scored ten first half points from Iowa’s eight turnovers.

Illinois pulled away in the second half and the Hawkeyes were unable to cut into the deficit, scoring a season low 61 points. In his home state, sophomore Brock Harding, led the charge offensively with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Harding grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists. Junior Josh Dix added 11 points to go along with four rebounds. Senior Payton Sandfort led the Hawkeyes on the glass with seven rebounds.

Iowa finished the game shooting 24-of-57 (42.1 percent) from the field and 6-of-18 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc. The Hawkeyes shot 7-of-9 (77.8 percent) from the charity stripe. Iowa outrebounded Illinois, 36-31, marking their first loss when outrebounding the opponent. The Hawkeyes had 16 turnovers allowing the Illini to turn them into 17 points.

Illinois was led by Tomisla Ivisic with 22 points, four rebounds, and five assists.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH FRAN MCCAFFERY
"Brock was great. He had a couple turnovers that were uncharacteristic of him but I just love him. The way he battles and the way he keeps coming, keeps fighting. He’s really special.”

“We have to get off to a better start, in each half. We played well at times in both halves. But at the start of each half, you could argue that's where we lost the game.”

GAME NOTES

• Illinois led 37-30 at the half before blowing the game open with a 19-8 run to start the second half.
  • The Illini outscored Iowa, 44-31, over the final 20 minutes.
• Iowa had two players finish in double figures: Brock Harding 16, Josh Dix 11.
• Harding finished with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting and made two 3-point field goals. He also had four assists and three rebounds. 
  • The point production was his second-highest of the season (highest since Nov. 26).
  • It was his 12th game in double figures.
• The Hawkeyes made 6-of-18 3-point field goals – the fewest makes since Jan. 21 against Minnesota (3).
• The Illini held Iowa to a season-low 61 points. 
• Iowa had 16 turnovers, tying a season high. The miscues led to 17 Illini points. 
  • Conversely, Illinois committed just five turnovers.
• The Hawkeyes out-rebounded Illinois, 36-31. 
  • It was Iowa’s first loss when outrebounding its opponent this season.
• Graduate Drew Thelwell did not play because of injury, missing his fourth game of the season.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes head to Evanston to face Northwestern on Friday at 8 p.m. (CT) at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The game will be televised on FS1.