CHAMPAIGN, ILL – Iowa lost a Big Ten road contest against Illinois Friday night, 80-75.
The heated rivalry between highly-ranked Iowa and Illinois resumed in Champaign’s State Farm Center, and the game delivered with 22 lead changes and eight ties.
Joe Wieskamp and Luka Garza led the Hawkeyes with 19 points each. Wieskamp tied a career high with five 3-pointers (North Carolina).
Connor McCaffery surpassed his season high in scoring the first eight minutes of the first half. McCaffery finished the contest with 11 points.
Keegan Murray started his first collegiate game tonight. The true freshman led the squad in rebounding (8).
Jordan Bohannon dished out a team-best five assists tonight, surpassing Andre Woolridge for second on Iowa’s career assists chart.
Illinois led 43-41 at halftime. The game was tied at 69 apiece with 5:24 left in the game when Illinois closed the game with a 11-6 run.
The loss snapped Iowa’s three-game Big Ten road win streak. This was the only regular season contest between Iowa and Illinois.
Iowa returns to action Tuesday, Feb. 2, against Michigan State in Iowa City. Tuesday begins a stretch of three games in six days for the Hawkeyes.
