CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS – Iowa (15-13, 6-11 B1G) never led Illinois (18-11, 10-8 B1G) in this BIG 10 Conference road game, losing 81-61 at the State Farm Center in Champaign.
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.
