Illinois Heads Off Iowa

Illinois started the game intent on giving James Augustine and Roger Powell Jr. a chance to attack Iowa inside. When the big guys couldn’t put it in the basket, Luther Head took over.

Head scored 25 points and his layup with 40 seconds left in overtime sealed No. 1 Illinois’ 73-68 victory over Iowa on Thursday night at Champaign, Ill.

“I’m really tired. I can’t wait to go home,” Head said. He earned it.

Head scored 12 straight points during one stretch and had six steals and six rebounds as Illinois, 19-0 overall and 5-0 in the Big Ten Conference, overcame its worst shooting night of the season and a late comeback by No. 23 Iowa.

The Hawkeyes (13-4, 1-3) battled back from a 13-point deficit early in the second half and outscored Illinois, 7-1, in the final 1:06 to force overtime. Illinois managed only six free throws and Head’s layup in overtime.

“I thought our defense was outstanding, but in the overtime they made six free throws and we made one,” Iowa Coach Steve Alford said. “It really came down to the foul line.”

Illinois was 23 for 31 from the free-throw line while Iowa was six for 12, and the Illini won the battle of the boards, especially on the offensive end where they held an 18-9 advantage.

“They killed us on the boards tonight,” said Pierre Pierce, who played all 45 minutes and led the Hawkeyes with 22 points. “They had a lot of tip-ins at crucial points in the game and we couldn’t finish at the free-throw line.”

The Hawkeyes also finished the game without center Erek Hansen and guard Adam Haluska, both of whom fouled out.

The Illini shot only 33% from the field, going 22 for 67 and six for 28 from three-point range.

Illinois led, 34-25, at halftime and appeared ready to blow the Hawkeyes out after Head’s three-pointer made the score 47-34 with 14:41 to go. Iowa, however, responded with an 18-5 run to tie the game.

“We fought back and we had them and they came through in the end and showed why they are No. 1,” Pierce said.

DePaul 85, No. 25 Marquette 72 -- Sammy Mejia scored a career-high 26 points and the Blue Demons used a tough defense and 21 offensive rebounds to beat the Golden Eagles at Rosemont, Ill.

Lorenzo Thompson added a career-high 17 points for the Blue Demons (11-4, 3-1 Conference USA). Dameon Mason’s 24 points paced Marquette (14-3, 2-2) in a rough and physical 100th meeting between the schools. Marquette leads the series, 58-42.

Marquette’s leading scorer, Travis Diener, averaging 20.8 points, managed 15 against LeVar Seals, seven of those points coming in the final two minutes. Golden Eagle forward Steve Novak was limited to five, eight under his average and didn’t make a three-pointer for the first time in 33 games.

DePaul smothered Marquette in the first seven minutes of the second half, holding the Golden Eagles to two baskets while increasing a seven-point halftime lead to 14. Marquette never got closer than eight points.