Iowa Falls to Illinois in Big Ten Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS – The 15th-seeded University of Iowa men’s basketball team fell to seventh-seeded and 24th-ranked Illinois, 106-94, on Thursday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Hawkeyes move to 17-16 on the season.

Junior Josh Dix gave Iowa its first lead of the game with a 3-pointer just a few minutes into the game. For seven minutes of game time the score remained within a single possession. The span featured eight ties and 10 lead changes before the Illini grabbed a 28-24 lead behind a 7-0 run with just under nine minutes remaining in the first half.

The Hawkeyes would respond with an 8-2 run behind back-to-back 3-pointers from senior Payton Sandfort to retake the lead, 32-30. Illinois built a 47-39 lead to mark the largest deficit of the half with two minutes remaining. Sophomore Pryce Sandfort ended the Illini run before Payton Sandfort’s 3-pointer at the buzzer made it 49-45 at the break. 

The Hawkeyes offense was in full force in the first half, shooting 19-of-31 (61.3 percent) from the field and 6-of-10 (60 percent) from beyond the arc. Payton Sandfort poured in 14 first half points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-6 from deep. Dix added 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while graduate Drew Thelwell tallied eight points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field. Iowa was outrebounded, 19-11, in the first half and the Illini turned those rebounds into 10 second-chance points.

Illinois created a 59-50 advantage at the 16:35 mark of the second half and the Hawkeyes struggled to cut into the Illinois lead for the remainder of the game. After trailing by 16 (92-76) with 7 ½ minutes remaining, the Hawkeyes cut the deficit to nine with just under five minutes remaining, but Illinois responded.

Payton Sandfort led Iowa with 30 points, tying a career high. His eight 3-pointers tied Keegan Murray for the most 3s in a Big Ten Tournament game and tied for third most in a game in program history. Dix tallied 21 points on 10-of-17 from the field, while Thelwell added 12 points and a team-high six assists. Pryce Sandfort rounded out Hawkeyes in double digits with 11 points and four rebounds on 4-of-7 shooting.

The Hawkeyes shot 39-of-71 (54.9 percent) from the field and 11-of-24 (45.8 percent) from deep. The bench added 25 point and Iowa scored 44 points in the paint. The Illini had 10 turnovers that the Hawkeyes turned into 17 points. Iowa was outrebounded, 41-24.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH FRAN MCCAFFERY
"I want to begin by saying how proud I am of these guys, not only how they fought today, but how they fought all year long. One of the best leaders I've ever been around in Payton Sandfort and to watch him fight the way he did today and play the way he did just really speaks to his character. He has been banged up all year, as we know. And Josh, so incredibly versatile, incredible stamina. Never complains about anything. Just keeps fighting. And the way they stayed together through some adversity this year is something that makes me incredibly proud as a coach. Love these guys. I will miss coaching that guy right there. That's why we do it. Same with him. That's why we do it. “

“This is one of my favorite teams I've ever coached, and I mean that sincerely from a number of different perspectives. It starts with when you have some adversity, how do the other players respond? So it's a challenge for the coaching staff, it's a challenge for them. To watch Ladji and Even in particular and see Riley play the way he did against Washington, but then also, when Drew was out to watch Brock and Pryce really thrive the way they have to get quality minutes out of Carter Kingsbury who came in as a walk-on and earned the scholarship. It forces players into more responsibility, which as you know, is not easy in this league. We just played one of the most impressive teams that I've watched on film all year long. Brad does a great job every year, but I love this team that he has and how it came together. They had some issues with sickness in that one stretch, but they're coming together now with the pieces they can make a run. So recognizing the challenge in this league night in and night out and watching our guys continue to fight despite quite a few setbacks. I'll mark earlier in the season when Payton and Josh were injured, and of course Payton's been banged up all year. So he just kept taping it up and playing. One of the toughest dudes I've ever been around. So very proud of the leadership, very proud of the fight, very proud of the professionalism and focus of this group. It was awesome coming to work every day with these guys.”

GAME NOTES

• No. 7 seed Illinois knocked Iowa out of the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Tournament second round with a 106-94 victory on Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
  • The loss snapped a five-game Hawkeye winning streak at Gainbridge.
• Iowa had four players finish in double figures: Payton Sandfort 30, Josh Dix 21, Drew Thelwell 12, Pryce Sandfort 11
• Payton Sandfort and Dix combined for 51 points – the most combined points for the duo this season.
  • The have combined for 40+ in five games.
  • It is the eighth time Iowa has had multiple 20 point scorers on the year.
• Payton Sandfort tied a career-high, finishing with 30 points.  He went 11-of-20 from the floor with a career-high eight 3-pointers. He was 8-of-13 from 3-point range.
  • The eight 3-pointers tied the Big Ten Tournament record shared by Iowa’s Keegan Murray and Indiana’s Devonte Green.
  • His 11 field goals tied Iowa’s Big Ten Tournament record, which is shared by Keegan Murray and Dean Oliver.
  • The eight 3s are tied for the third-most in program history, trailing Jordan Bohannon (10 in 2022) and Chris Kingbury (9, 2X, in 1994 and1995).
  • It was Sandfort’s team-leading 14th 20-point game of the season (32nd of his career) and his second 30-point contest this season.  He has gone over 30 three times in his career.
• Josh Dix finished with 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting. 
  • It was Dix’s seventh 20-point game this season (10th of his career).
• Thelwell finished with 12 points and a team-high six assists.
• The Hawkeyes had a higher field goal percentage, shooting 54.9 percent to Illinois’ 53.8 percent.  Iowa is 11-3 when shooting 50+ percent this season.
• Iowa made 11 3-point field goals – its third straight game with 10+ makes.
• Head coach Fran McCaffery was issued two technical fouls at the 13:33 mark in the second half and was ejected. 
• Iowa trailed 49-45 at the half after shooting 61.3 percent (19-of-31) from the field, including 60 percent (6-of-10) from 3-point range
• Illinois outrebounded Iowa, 41-24, which included 14 offensive rebounds.