Iowa coasts by Illinois, 83-62

[March 15, 2019]  Senior forward Nicholas Baer was 5-of-6 from 3-point range and scored 17 points to help Iowa trounce Illinois 83-62 on Thursday in second-round play of the Big Ten tournament at Chicago.

Freshman guard Joe Wieskamp added 13 points and seven rebounds as sixth-seeded Iowa (22-10) snapped a four-game losing streak. Junior forward Tyler Cook registered 12 points, six assists and five rebounds, and junior forward Ryan Kriener added 11 points in the easy victory.

Freshman power forward Giorgi Bezhanishvili scored 12 points before fouling out for the 11th-seeded Fighting Illini (12-21). Sophomore guard Trent Frazier and freshman guard Tevian Jones tallied 11 points apiece, and freshman guard Ayo Dosunmu had 10 points and six assists.

The Hawkeyes will face third-seeded Michigan in Friday's quarterfinals.

Iowa shot 51.7 percent from the field and was 12 of 23 from 3-point range. The 12 3s are the most the Hawkeyes have made in a Big Ten tourney game.

Illinois shot 52 percent from the field but was just 8 of 24 from behind the arc. The Illini committed 15 turnovers, while Iowa had just eight miscues.

Iowa led by six points at halftime but quickly expanded the margin in the second half.

Baer and Kreiner each knocked down 3-pointers during an 8-0 push that saw the Hawkeyes open a 58-42 advantage with 12:15 remaining.

Baer soon drained two more 3-pointers, with the latter one pushing the lead over 20 for the first time at 68-47 with 8:49 left.

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Nicholas Baer (51) shoots over Illinois Fighting Illini guard Da'Monte Williams (20) during the first half in the Big Ten conference tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Kriener's basket capped a 10-0 run to make it a 26-point lead with 6:58 left.

Iowa's lead topped out at 27 points.

Junior guard Jordan Bohannon scored eight points to help Iowa take a 37-31 lead into the break.

The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 10-2 lead before Illinois responded with 11 straight to take a three-point lead.

Iowa rattled off the next 11 points, with junior guard Isaiah Moss' basket capping the run and giving the Hawkeyes a 21-13 lead with 11:29 remaining.

Iowa led by 10 before Dosunmu scored four points during a 9-0 spurt to bring the Illini within 30-29 with 4:38 left.

--Field Level Media

--Field Level Media

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