No. 24 Illinois lights up Iowa for 106 points in Big Ten tourney win

Field Level Media|published: Thu 13th March, 21:02 2025

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Drew Thelwell (3) guards Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) on Thursday, March 13, 2025, during the second round of the men's Big Ten tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Kylan Boswell recorded 24 points and seven assists and No. 24 Illinois put on an offensive show while producing a 106-94 victory over Iowa on Thursday to reach the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals in Indianapolis.

Tre White scored 22 points and Will Riley added 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Tomislav Ivisic had 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the seventh-seeded Fighting Illini (21-11).

Illinois became just the second team to score 100 or more points in a Big Ten tourney game. Iowa holds the record for delivering a 112-76 rout of Northwestern on March 10, 2022.

The Illini will face second-seeded Maryland on Friday night.

Payton Sandfort matched his career high of 30 points for Iowa (17-16) and he equaled the Big Ten tournament record by making a career-best eight 3-pointers. Former Hawkeye Keegan Murray (March 12, 2022 vs. Indiana) and Indiana's Devonte Green (March 14, 2019 vs. Ohio State) also made eight in a game.

Josh Dix scored 21 points, Drew Thelwell had 12 points and Pryce Sandfort tallied 11 for Iowa, which made 54.9 percent of its attempts and was 11 of 24 from behind the arc.

Illinois shot 53.8 percent from the field, including 12 of 26 from 3-point range. Kasparas Jakucionis added 10 points.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery got ejected for using some choice words with 13:33 left and his team down nine and in possession of the ball.

Jakucionis made all four technical shots to boost the Illini's lead to 73-60.

Payton Sandfort attempted to pump up his teammates after the downer sequence and later nailed a 3-pointer to pull the Hawkeyes within 83-74 with 8:55 remaining.

However, Ivisic converted a three-point play and Boswell canned a 3-pointer as Illinois' lead grew to 89-74 with 7:53 left in the contest.

Iowa later used a 10-3 run to move within 95-86 on a dunk by Even Brauns with 4:36 to play. But Riley answered with back-to-back baskets and White slammed home a fastbreak dunk to push Illinois past 100 with 1:56 remaining. The lead topped out at 17.

Boswell and Ivisic scored 11 first-half points apiece as the Fighting Illini led 49-45 at the break. Payton Sandfort scored 14 points in the half for the Hawkeyes.

--Field Level Media