CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Luther Head scored 25 points, including a
driving layup with 40 seconds remaining in overtime that sealed No.
1 Illinois' 73-68 win over No. 23 Iowa on Thursday night.
Head also grabbed six rebounds and had six steals as Illinois
(19-0, 5-0 Big Ten) overcame its worst shooting night of the season
and a late Iowa comeback. 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 the extra period.
Greg Brunner's drive to the hoop tied the score at 65-65 with
3.8 seconds remaining and came after Dee Brown missed one of two
free throws for the Illini. Brunner finished with 16 points and 11
rebounds.
The Illini hit only 33 percent from the field, going 22-for-67
and 6-of-28 from 3-point range.
Pierre Pierce led Iowa with 22 points, but missed a 3-pointer
that would have tied the game with 5.6 seconds left in overtime.
Brown finished with 12 points and sealed the victory with two
free throws in the final seconds.
^DePaul 85, No. 25 Marquette 72=
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Sammy Mejia scored a career-high 26 points
and DePaul used a tough defense and 21 offensive rebounds to beat
Marquette.
Lorenzo Thompson added a career-high 17 points and Quemont Greer
had 15 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's leading scorer Travis Diener, averaging 20.8 points,
managed just 15 against LeVar Seals, seven of those point coming in
the final two minutes. Golden Eagles forward Steve Novak was
limited to just five, eight under his average and was held without
a 3-pointer for the first time in 33 games.