Illinois Fighting Illini vs Iowa Hawkeyes Picks and Predictions March 13th 2025

No. 24 Illinois Aims to Continue Ascent vs. Iowa

Illinois‘ rollercoaster season appears to be stabilizing at the right time as the seventh-seeded Fighting Illini prepare to face 15th-seeded Iowa in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday night in Indianapolis.

Less than three weeks ago, Illinois (20-11) looked like a team in crisis. A flu-ridden squad was overwhelmed by then-No. 3 Duke in a humiliating 43-point loss at Madison Square Garden—the worst defeat in program history. Head coach Brad Underwood openly questioned his team’s toughness.

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Now, after three consecutive wins, including an 88-80 victory over then-No. 18 Purdue, Illinois is regaining its confidence.

“It grew a lot tonight,” Underwood said after the win against Purdue. “Just simply the confidence to win a close game when things are really, really hard against an unbelievably good opponent and a team that has the best offense in the league. To get stops when you need them, to find enough moxie when you’re down four or five and to make plays, man, my confidence is really high.”

Illinois’ recent surge has propelled it back into the rankings at No. 24. While this isn’t quite the top-15 status it held in January, it serves as a reminder that this team, when playing at its best, can compete with anyone. Averaging 87.3 points per game over the past three wins, the Illini put up an impressive 93 points in a dominant 20-point victory over then-No. 15 Michigan.

Illinois’ Balanced Attack

Five Illinois players average double figures, with freshman Kasparas Jakucionis leading the way at 15.2 points and 4.8 assists per game. His clutch three-pointer against Purdue helped seal the win. Another freshman, Will Riley (12.2 ppg), was recently named the Big Ten’s Sixth Man of the Year.

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The Illini have shown they can win in different ways—whether by overpowering teams inside or stretching the floor with their shooters. Their depth and offensive firepower make them a dangerous opponent as they eye a deep NCAA Tournament run.

Iowa Fighting for NCAA Hopes

For Iowa (17-15), this game is a must-win to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive. The Hawkeyes secured their spot in the Big Ten Tournament with a crucial win over Nebraska and followed it up with a 77-70 victory over Ohio State in the first round.

Four players reached double figures against the Buckeyes, led by Payton Sandfort (17 points) and Josh Dix (16). Brock Harding added 15 off the bench, including a clutch three-pointer with 16 seconds left to put the game away.

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Head coach Fran McCaffery acknowledged the challenge of facing Illinois’ size, especially after the Illini dominated Iowa 81-61 in their regular-season matchup on Feb. 25. Illinois capitalized on its interior presence, repeatedly feeding 7-foot-1 Tomislav Ivisic, who scored 15 of his game-high 22 points in the first half.

“They’re really big,” McCaffery said. “We’re going to have to really shore up (the inside Thursday) or stay out of foul trouble if we can. Not only do they have those guys, but they’ve got drivers and shooters. It’s really one of the more talented teams through the course of the year.”

With Owen Freeman sidelined due to finger surgery, Iowa will lean heavily on Sandfort (16.3 ppg) and Dix (14.1 ppg) to carry the scoring load. Whether the Hawkeyes can slow down Illinois’ potent offense will be key to their chances of pulling off an upset.