Champaign-Coleman Hawkins scored high 30 points of career, and number 12 Illinois defeated Iowa 95-85 with rallies with a seven-point deficit in the second half for the 1,000th Big Ten win in the history of the program on Saturday.
Terence Shannon Junior and Justin Harmon scored every 12 points and Dan Denja had eight rebounds for Ilini (20–7, 11–5).
Nico Moreti, who failed to score in the last three matches of Illinois, had eight points in the second half, including a pair of 3-pointers, helping to bounce the rally. Moreti last scored against Michigan on 18 January.
“You can tell that Nico is a baby of a coach,” said Illinois coach Brad Underwood. “He never asked me what he needs to do to play. He only shows and works hard every day. I guarantee you that he did not know that he was going to play 17 minutes today, but he was ready.
“He is the boy of the supreme team, and it was an incredible team win for us. It was not easy.”
It was a boom-back game for Hawkins, who scored nine points, missed two free-three attempts, and the pen hicks of the pen state were closed on Wednesday on a 3-point shot in the last 13 seconds of Illinois’ loss of 90–89. Three free throw of Hicks won the game with three seconds.
“What did I do to flush the pen state game? I got down from social media, removed some apps and Limited I spoke, ”Hawkins said. “Originally I had to be just a man and do myself for my mistakes.”
Josh Dicks left 20 points, Tony Perkins 18 and Pater Sandfort 12, and Owen Freeman left with eight points and eight rebounds for Iowa (16-12, 8-9), leading 64–57 with 12 minutes, 15 seconds, but 15 seconds in the second half but failed to get caught.
“Hawkins shoots NBA-level 3S and can take the ball into the circle. He is a strict man to guard, ”said Iowa coach Frank McCafree. “And his bench people are good players. Give them credit. He played well. ,
Hawkins scored 13 points in the first nine minutes of the first half, as Illinois led 44–43 on a break.
With winning, Illinois finished second at the conference, two games behind the number 3 perdue (13-3), four Big Ten games remaining.
Ilini has won 20 or more games in five straight sessions under underwood. He is only the second Illinois coach that fulfills the achievement. Lu Henson won 20 or more games in nine consecutive sessions from 1983-91.
Big picture
Iowa: After winning the back-to-back over the Big Ten Heavyweight Wisconsin and Michigan state, Hawkis seem ready for a late season in an attempt to earn a place in the NCAA tournament. Damage reduced those plans, at least temporarily.
Illinois: Ilini Defense is porous this month, and it was not better against the Iowa team which was an average of 83.4 points in the game and reached 100 points four times this season. Illinois has given at least 80 points out of five of his five games on February 6, while going 4–2. Opponents scored only 83 or more marks in 20 matches before February.
next
Iowa: The pen hosts the state on Tuesday.
Illinois: Host in Minnesota on Wednesday.