Illinois blows 20-point lead to Iowa, loses bid in OT for first Big Ten win

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Jordan Bohannon scored 29 points as Iowa rallied from a 20-point deficit for a 104-97 overtime win over Illinois on Thursday night.

It was Iowa’s second-largest comeback win in school history. The biggest comeback was 22 points, also against Illinois in 1987. Thursday’s game marked the Hawkeyes’ first Big Ten victory, and dropped the Illini to 0-5 in conference play.

Iowa (10-9, 1-5) outscored Illinois (10-8, 0-5) 14-7 in overtime after Illinois guard Trent Frazier sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

Tyler Cook scored 21 points and Luka Garza added 19 for Iowa. Frazier led Illinois with 27 points, while Leron Black and Aaron Jordan added 18 points each.

Illinois, fueled by runs of 13-and 10-0 run early in the game leaped to a 54-41 halftime lead and seemed headed to an easy home win. Iowa outrebounded the Illini 45-26, including 20-9 in the second half, and outscored Illinois 33-11 from the free throw line.

Iowa first took the lead 83-82 — its first since 4-2 — with 3:01 left in regulation on a 3-point play by Luke Garza.

BIG PICTURE

Iowa big man Garza essentially took over for Iowa in the final four minutes of regulation, scoring seven points to give Iowa the lead, which it held until Frazier’s buzzer-beater sent the game into overtime.

UP NEXT

Iowa travels to Rutgers on Wednesday

Illinois plays at Nebraska on Monday.