Illinois Looks to Bounce Back Against Iowa After Duke Blowout

Illinois Returns Home After Duke Disaster

Illinois (17-11, 9-8 Big Ten) made the wrong kind of history on Saturday night, suffering a 110-67 beatdown against No. 3 Duke at Madison Square Garden.

It was the worst loss in school history, breaking a 51-year-old record set in 1974 against Indiana.

The Fighting Illini were completely outmatched, struggling on both ends of the floor:

2-of-26 from three-point range (7.7%)
Allowed Duke to shoot 55.6% from the field
Outrebounded and outscored in the paint

Head coach Brad Underwood didn’t sugarcoat his team’s lack of fight.

“I’m not calling them soft, but I don’t think we’re handling the moment,” Underwood said. “We’re young. We’re inexperienced. I think we’re a team (that) we miss a shot, we put our head down. Next play. You’ve got to get beyond that. I’ll get them there.”

Now, Illinois must regroup quickly as they return to Big Ten play against Iowa (15-12, 6-10 Big Ten) on Tuesday night in Champaign.

Kasparas Jakucionis Leads an Illinois Team Battling Illness & Inconsistency

Illinois has dealt with multiple illness outbreaks this season, affecting their rotation and consistency in Big Ten play.

Their go-to player has been freshman Kasparas Jakucionis, who is leading the team with:

15.6 points per game
4.8 assists per game

But the Illini’s problem isn’t talent—it’s toughness and execution.

Their outside shooting has been wildly inconsistent, and against Duke, they completely collapsed after falling behind early.

If Illinois wants to avoid another disappointing performance, they must regain their defensive identity and find better offensive rhythm early in games.

Iowa Fighting for Big Ten Tournament Positioning

While Illinois looks to recover, Iowa is trying to build momentum as they battle for Big Ten Tournament seeding.

The Hawkeyes are coming off an 85-79 home win over Washington, where they:

Scored 52 second-half points
Made 23-of-26 free throws (88.5%)
Controlled the tempo late in the game

Head coach Fran McCaffery praised his team’s fight, particularly leading scorer Payton Sandfort.

Key Players for Iowa:

Payton Sandfort (16.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG) – Had 27 points vs. Washington, shooting 12-of-13 from the free-throw line.
Owen Freeman (16.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG) – Out for the rest of the season with a finger injury.

With Freeman out, Sandfort has had to step up as the primary offensive option.

Iowa is also a much better offensive team than Illinois, but their defense has been inconsistent, which could give the Illini a chance to bounce back.

What’s at Stake?

For Illinois:

Recover from an embarrassing loss to Duke
Stay in the top half of the Big Ten standings
Regain confidence before the conference tournament

For Iowa:

Pick up another crucial Big Ten win
Improve their conference tournament positioning
Capitalize on Illinois’ struggles

 Take your NBA betting to the next level! Get expert strategies and insights in our NBA Betting Guide!  👉 Read here

Prediction: Can Illinois Recover, or Will Iowa Steal One?

Illinois is at a crossroads after the Duke loss.

A strong response at home would help them move past the embarrassment, but if they start slow again, Iowa has the offensive firepower to take advantage.

This game will come down to:

Can Illinois shoot better from three? They were awful against Duke, and if they struggle again, Iowa will pull ahead quickly.
Can Iowa’s defense hold up? The Hawkeyes can score, but their defense is suspect, which gives Illinois a chance to recover.
How will Illinois respond mentally? If they show fight and toughness early, they should pull out a hard-fought win.

Illinois Fighting Illini vs Iowa Hawkeyes Picks and Predictions February 25th 2025