INDIANAPOLIS — The first time Illinois center Kofi Cockburn and Iowa center Luka Garza faced off, back in 2020, Garza owned the day. The Hawkeyes’ 6-foot-10 playmaker made Cockburn look inexperienced and uncomfortable, limiting him to just six points in a 72-65 Hawkeyes win in January of 2020. On that day, Garza exploded for 25
CHAMPAIGN — Since the COVID-compromised 2020-21 college basketball schedule was released last autumn, January 29 had been circled on everyone’s calendar. The Illinois-Iowa game was important to Illini and Hawkeye fans, of course. But the entire country was waiting and watching. That #19 Illinois prevailed 80-75 over #7 Iowa means a bevy of non-Midwestern hoops
The Illini men’s basketball team beat Iowa 78-76 last night at the State Farm Center, securing a top-four seed and double-bye in this week’s Big Ten Tournament.