The Iowa Hawkeyes started the 2025 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament with an emotional upset win over Ohio State. The Hawkeyes took care of business on both ends and came out with a 77-70 win in Round One.
In Round Two, 15-seed Iowa will face rival and 7-seed Illinois in a rematch of the February 25 contest.
One game at a time. @B1GMBBall x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/oR1RaJslGj
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) March 13, 2025
The Hawkeyes must win five games in five days to be crowned Champion of the Big Ten. It is a rare feat, but Iowa is taking it one game at a time.
Illinois scouting report
The Illinois Fighting Illini finished the season on a three-game winning streak, including a 20-point drubbing of Iowa in Champaign, Illinois. They also picked up big wins against Michigan (93-73) and Purdue (88-80) to close out the season.
The Fighting Illini are a tough team to stop on the offensive end. They have five players that average double-digit points in their balanced attack. They lead the Big Ten in points per game (83.7), just ahead of the Hawkeyes.
Illinois also leads the Big Ten in three-point field goals attempted per game (30.3) and third in made three-point fields per game (9.3).
The Fighting Illini also hit the glass hard on both ends. They are first in the Big Ten in rebounds per game (42.40), including a conference-best 12.9 offensive rebounds per game.
Illinois has won three straight games in the series, including eight of the last nine games.
Iowa's keys to victory
The Hawkeyes struggled in their last matchup against Illinois on the road in Champaign, Illinois. The Fighting Illini clamped down on defense and never trailed in the game.
Payton Sandfort had a rough game, shooting 2/10 from the floor and 1/6 from three-point range, finishing with seven points.
Iowa will look to clean it up in Round Two as they face a tough Illini squad in Indy.
Take care of the basketball
When Iowa takes care of the basketball, good things happen. They lead the Big Ten in assists per game and assists to turnover ratio, and they need to continue that trend in this matchup against Illinois.
The Hawkeyes struggled to take care of the basketball in their previous game versus Illinois. Iowa had 16 turnovers, with all starters having two plus. They outshot and out-rebounded the Fighting Illini, but still lost the game.
Illinois does not give up second-chance points, so Iowa must take care of the basketball if they want to have a chance.
Ferociously crash the glass
Illinois leads the conference in rebounds per game, so Iowa must hit the boards early and often. They cannot be outrebounded by Illinois and expect to win the game.
The Hawkeyes out-rebounded the Fighting Illini 34-29 in their previous meeting in a loss. Iowa struggles with defending the paint and lacks the size to compete at a high level on the glass. They must box out and limit Illinois from getting second-chance opportunities.
The Fighting Illini chuck up the most three-point shots in the conference, and Iowa must be prepared for long rebounds. If they can secure those long rebounds, they can quickly transition into their fast-break offense.
Iowa is deadly when they quickly get into the fast-break and hit long-range jumpers.
Rinse, wash, and repeat
The Hawkeyes employed a great offensive and defensive strategy in their Round One victory over Ohio State. They were stout defensively and had a balanced offensive in the win.
Iowa held Ohio State to 42.4 percent shooting from the field and 22.7 percent from behind the three-point line. This included not allowing a three-point basket in the second half.
The Fighting Illini lead the conference in scoring, so Iowa must clamp down on defense.
The Hawkeyes must also put up a similar performance on offense. Payton Sandfort, Pryce Sandfort, and Josh Dix combined for 43 of 77 points in the win. The Iowa bench also had a huge performance. They outscored the Ohio State bench 27-3 in the victory.
The Hawkeyes must have a balanced offensive attack and get the "big three" of the Sandfort brothers and Josh Dix going early.
How to watch Iowa versus Illinois
15-seed Iowa will take on 7-seed Illinois in Game Three of Round Two. The game will tip off around 5:30 p.m. Central Time and airs on the Big Ten Network.