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Fifth-year seniors Trent Frazier and Da'Monte WIlliams were met with thousands of Illini fans storming the court after securing a share of the regular season Big Ten Title on Senior Night. With seconds left against No. 20 Iowa on Sunday night, Williams made a free throw to go up by two points, then Frazier grabbed the final defensive rebound to secure the 74-72 victory and Illinois' first regular season title since 2005.
Illinois will head to the Big Ten Tournament with a double-bye as the No. 1 seed after a 22-8, 15-5 record.
With the help of 10 different players, the Illini came back from a deficit as big as 15 points against the most efficient team in the conference, which had also won nine of its last 10 games.
Kofi Cockburn, who was also honored for Senior Night, dominated Iowa's defense with 21 points and 14 rebounds, securing his 14th double-double of the season and 43rd of his career. Alfonso Plummer and Andre Curbelo had 15 and 14 points, respectively.
The Senior Night matchup started off with a three-pointer from Da'Monte Willliams, who came off his season-best game against Penn State. Cockburn made his presence felt early as well, blocking Keegan Murray's shot then making a layup on the other end. Tony Perkins scored first for Iowa, followed by a dunk from Murray.
Iowa went on a quick 7-0 run as Illinois went over three minutes without a field goal. With the Hawkeyes up 9-6, Alfonso Plummer hit a short jumper, but Murray made a pair of free throws right after. Frazier and Cockburn connected for a lob and layup before Kris Murray hit a jumper.
Luke Goode and Joe Toussaint traded three-pointers then Andre Curbelo got crafty with a behind the back layup after an Iowa turnover. Curbelo then assisted on a Cockburn dunk and the Illini went up 17-16. But after a pair of free throws from Cockburn, the Illini went cold for over three minutes, allowing the Hawkeyes to go on a 13-0 run.
While Cockburn got the Illini back on the board with a layup, the Hawkeyes continued to dominate, making 10 straight shots. Plummer came up big with a three-pointer and a long jumper — reaching 1,00 career points. However, Iowa still led 43-28 with under four minutes in the half.
Illinois finally took the momentum back when Curbelo nailed a three and the Illini defense forced its first stop in eight minutes. Coleman Hawkins made a pair of free throws then Frazier and Plummer each made layups in the final possessions. Illinois held Iowa scoreless through the final three minutes of the half and headed into the break down 43-37.
Williams once again started the half off big, taking a charge before Perkins split a pair of free throws. Cockburn and Filip Rebraca traded dunks. Illinois closed in on Iowa's lead as Williams hit a three and Cockburn scored a layup while Iowa went scoreless for nearly three minutes.
Illinois took its first lead since early in the first half after Plummer was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all three free throws. The lead was short-lived as the Hawkeyes followed with an 8-0 run to go up 54-47.
Hawkins stopped the run with a layup then Kris Murray and Plummer each hit threes. Cockburn scored a layup in between a pair of Iowa makes, then RJ Melendez nailed a three to get Illini fans on their feet. The Illini defense locked in, forcing a couple turnovers, but the offense couldn't capitalize.
Murray and Curbelo traded layups just before the under-8 timeout as Illinois trailed 63-59. The Illini offense came back alive out of the break; Curbelo made a three-point play on an and-1 layup then Hawkins sunk a three. Illinois' two-point lead was quickly squashed once again as both Murrays hit shots to go up 67-65.
The Illini got back in rhythm as Curbelo hit his stride on offense. After a Cockburn layup tied it up, Curbelo had a steal then was fouled, making both free throws. Hawkins hit a floater then Curbelo was fouled and made both free throws again, capping off an 8-0 run with a couple minutes left to play.
The run set Illinois up for its championship moment as the Hawkeyes could never recover.
POSTGAME NOTES
• Illinois secured its 18th Big Ten championship and first since 2005.
• Illinois will be the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini and Wisconsin tied atop the Big Ten standings with records of 15-5 and Illinois owned the tiebreaker against the Badgers with an 80-67 win on Feb. 2.
• Illinois finished the regular season 22-8 overall and 15-5 in the Big Ten.
• Illinois' 15 Big Ten wins tied for the second-most in program history behind only last year's 16 Big Ten wins. The Illini also won 15 Big Ten games in 1984 and 2005.
• Illinois is the Big Ten's winningest team over the last three seasons with a 44-16 record in league play, and a 47-16 mark when including the conference tournament.
• Illinois' 44 wins in Big Ten play over the last three years is the winningest 3-year stretch in school history.
• Illinois has won at least 13 Big Ten games in three straight seasons for the first time in program history.
• Illinois is 29-6 in its last 35 games versus Big Ten opponents.
• Illinois has won 22 games, marking the 35th 20-win season all-time and the first stretch of three-straight 20-win seasons for the program since 2009 through 2011.
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