Illinois Falls to Iowa in Overtime

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Published on January 12 2018 7:20 am
Last Updated on January 12 2018 7:20 am
Written by Millie Lange

Freshman guard Trent Frazier scored a career-high 27 points and hit a game-tying three at the end of regulation, but the Fighting Illini fell in overtime to Iowa, 104-97.

Illinois led by as many as 20 in the first half and by 13 at halftime, but Iowa closed the gap quickly with a 10-0 run to open the second half.

It was Iowa's second-largest comeback win in school history. The biggest comeback was 22 points, also against Illinois in 1987.

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

Frazier led Illinois with 27 points, while Leron Black and Aaron Jordan added 18 points each. Jordan Bohannon scored a game-high 28 points, Tyler Cook scored 21 points and Luka Garza added 19 for Iowa.

Illinois, fueled by runs of 13-0 and 10-0 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.

TEAM NOTES

    Illinois is 0-3 in overtime games this season with all three OT losses coming in Big Ten games (Northwestern, Maryland, Iowa).
    Illinois led 54-41 at halftime.
    Illinois' 54 points in the first half were the most Iowa has allowed in a half this season.
    Illinois set season highs in points in a half (54), field goals made in a half (20) and three-pointers made in a half (9) in the first half.
    Illinois went on a 13-0 run (18:21-13:56) and a 10-0 run (10:20-8:29) in the first half.
    Iowa's 40 free-throw attempts were the most by an opponent at State Farm Center since Wisconsin took 42 2/3/2013.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

    Freshman guard Trent Frazier scored a career-high 27 points. Frazier made a career-high seven 3-pointers on 11 attempts, tied for the fifth-most threes made in a game by an Illini and one behind the record of eight. It is the most threes made by an Illini player since Tracy Abrams hit seven against Central Michigan 12/10/2016. Frazier's seven threes were the most by an Illini in a Big Ten game since Brandon Paul made eight against Ohio State 1/10/2012.
    Freshman forward Greg Eboigbodin played a career-high 25 minutes, his third straight game playing a career-high minutes. Eboigbodin scored eight points and had four rebounds.
    Redshirt junior forward Leron Black scored 18 points, including 12 in the second half.
    Sophomore guard Te'Jon Lucas did not dress due to a violation of team rules.


EIU Women 66, TSU 59 (OT)

Karle Pace scored a career-high 18 points including the go-ahead point for EIU's women's basketball team in overtime vs. Tennessee State. The Panthers defeated the visiting Tigers 66-59 in their second overtime game this season.

EIU improves to 2-14 overall, 1-4 in the OVC while TSU falls to 3-11 overall, 1-4 in the OVC.

The Panthers shot 40 percent from the field and 77.8 percent from the line leading for majority of the game. Kaliya Griffin connected on a three-point shot late in the third quarter to give the Tigers the lead going into the fourth quarter. Taylor Steele scored from beyond the arc at the 6:08 minute mark to spark an 8-0 run for EIU to regain the lead. Taylor Williams hit a three-point field goal with a little over a minute to play tying the game and forcing overtime. Pace knocked down a free-throw halfway into the overtime period giving the Panthers the final lead of the game and secured their second victory of the season.

Both teams struggled to take care of the ball recording 63 combined turnovers in the game. TSU scored 28 points to the Panthers 26 points off turnovers. Three players for EIU recorded four steals each in the game.

Steele finished with a game leading 19 points and grabbed six rebounds before collecting her fifth foul in the overtime period. Pace tallied a career-high 18 points. She also finished with three boards and four steals.

Danielle Berry recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Berry also tallied four steals and two assists. Jennifer Nehls neared a double-double as she was the fourth Panther to reach double-figures with 10 points and eight rebounds.

The Tigers had three players record double-figures. Taylor Roberts scored 18 points with seven rebounds. Tia Wooten was 10-of-10 from the free throw line and finished with a double-double of 18 points and 11 boards. Griffin added 11 points for TSU.

The Panthers will return to action at home on Saturday Jan. 13 at 1 pm vs. Belmont.


Belmont 76, SIUE 61

Four SIUE Cougars scored in double figures, but Belmont spoiled their Ohio Valley Conference home opener 76-61 on Thursday at the Vadalabene Center.

Thanks to a quick getaway, Belmont improved to 12-6 overall and 4-1 in the OVC. The Cougars dropped to 6-10 overall and 2-3 in the conference. The loss snapped SIUE's two-game win streak.

"That's a good team," SIUE Head coach Jon Harris said of the Bruins. "Belmont is very good at what they do and very sound. They don't beat themselves and are very underrated defensively."

Amanze Egekeze, a 6-foot-, 8-inch senior forward, poured in 29 points – three shy of his season best -- to spur the Bruins, now 6-0 in their series against the Cougars.

"He's a very good player and I was disappointed with our focus on him," Harris said.

Harris took encouragement from the play of the SIUE reserves, who accounted for 31 points, or 18 more than Belmont's substitutes. Daniel Kinchen led the Cougars with 14 points and Brandon Jackson recorded 12 points, 10 in the first half. Starters Jalen Henry (11 points), Justin Benton (10 points) and Christian Ellis (eight rebounds, seven points and three assists) also contributed to the cause.