Box Score

By TODD DVORAK
Associated Press Writer

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Iowa's victory over No. 8 Illinois may finally bring the Hawkeyes some respect. They would rather do without it.

"To tell you the truth it really doesn't matter to me. I like being the underdog. There is nothing to lose and you can just go out there and play," said freshman guard Jeff Horner, whose 16 points and 11 rebounds helped Iowa to a 68-61 victory over the Illini on Wednesday night.

The victory was the third time in three weeks that the Hawkeyes (11-3, 3-0 Big Ten) have knocked off a ranked opponent. Iowa, with just seven regular players and picked to finish at the bottom of the Big Ten, beat then-ranked Tulsa last month and then-No. 25 Michigan State on Saturday.

Illinois (12-2, 2-1) trailed most of the game, and could get no closer than two points the entire second half. Brian Cook, the Big Ten's leading scorer, had 20 points and 12 rebounds for Illinois, but finished 8-of-19 from the field, including 0-for-4 from behind the 3-point line.

Horner had five assists, was 9-of-11 from the free throw line and sparked the Hawkeyes on both ends of the court.

Iowa's defense outhustled and frustrated the Illini by closing passing lanes, forcing 17 turnovers and grabbing every missed Illini shot in the final 10 minutes of the game. The 61 points by the Illini was 18 below their season average.

"I just thought this was without question his best performance since he's been here," Iowa coach Steve Alford said of Horner, who committed to Iowa as a high school freshman.

"We're starting to feed off him," Alford said. "The way he practices and the way he plays is starting to become contagious. Everybody is diving on the floor for loose balls now and that's fun to watch."

Brody Boyd added 13 points for the Hawkeyes and Chauncey Leslie had 11.

Illinois appeared ready to make a move when Sean Harrington hit a 3-pointer from the right baseline to make it 56-54 with 7:03 to go.

But Iowa, as it has all season late in games, refused to wilt. Glen Worley, who finished with eight points, scored on a layup.

Then Iowa built a seven-point lead, its biggest of the second half, on a fast break layup by Boyd with 6:14 remaining. Horner started the 3-on-2 break when he scooped up a loose ball and fired a pass to Boyd, who was fouled on the basket. Boyd hit the free throw to give Iowa a 61-54 lead.

The teams traded baskets for the next four minutes, and momentum appeared ready to shift again when Worley picked up his fourth foul with 4:17 to go. Freshman guard Dee Brown, who scored eight points and had five assists, made two free throws to make it 61-56.

Minutes later, Deron Williams hit a 3-pointer, his only basket of the game, to make it 66-61. But Illinois would get no closer as it missed shots or committed turnovers down the stretch.

"It takes more energy to play from behind," Illinois coach Bill Self said. "We played like we were struggling for survival. We were out of synch the whole night. A lot of it was due to them and a lot of it was just due to our ineffectiveness."

Illinois shot 40 percent for the game, but made only 21 percent from behind the 3-point line. Illinois also got into foul trouble in the second half, committing 15 fouls in the period and put Iowa in the bonus with more than nine minutes left.

"I don't think we were as focused as we needed to be," Cook said. "It was a whole team thing."

Iowa shot 42 percent and had 14 turnovers.

In the first half, Illinois made a late run and tied the score at 27 when Cook made two free throws.

But a 3-pointer by Boyd with 1:42 remaining in the half sparked an 8-4 run that gave Iowa a 35-31 lead.