Iowa Hawkeyes CITY, Iowa (AP) Tony Perkins scored 25 of his career-high 32 points in the second half and Iowa edged Illinois Fighting Illini 81-79 on Saturday to snap a five-game losing streak to the Fighting Illini.
Perkins shot 8 of 11 from the floor and missed just one of 16 free-throw attempts, all of them coming in the second half. Kris Murray added 19 points and Filip Rebraca 13 for Iowa (15-8, 7-5 Big Ten), which won its third straight and seventh of its last nine.
Matthew Mayer hit four 3-pointers and scored 21 points for Illinois (16-7, 7-5), which had a three-game win streak snapped after coming in having won seven of its last eight. Dain Dainja added 17 points and nine rebounds, Jayden Epps had 14 of his 16 in the second half and Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 11 points.
Payton Sandfort's 3-pointer snapped a tie with and Murray added a free throw with 29 seconds left. Illinois' RJ Melendez sank two free throws before Perkins, with 10.1 remaining, made it a three-point edge with a free throw before his only miss from the line. Illinois raced down the floor but Epps was short on a 3-point attempt that Sandfort closed out on. Coleman Hawkins got the offensive rebound and was fouled with 1.1 left. He made the first free throw before his intentional miss on the second attempt was grabbed by Iowa's Connor McCaffery.
Iowa finished 26 of 30 at the line to 18 of 23 for the Illini, who committed 14 turnovers. Iowa's 81 points hit the Hawkeyes' season average against a team giving up 63 a game.
Murray hit a 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer but the Illini led 36-35.
Neither team had a double-digit lead. There were nine lead changes and nine ties.
Illinois hosts Minnesota on Tuesday. Iowa is at top-ranked Purdue on Thursday.
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1st Half
ILL
Fighting Illini
36
IOWA
Hawkeyes
35
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Dain Dainja vs. Kris Murray (Fighting Illini gains possession)
19:48
Jayden Epps misses two point layup
19:46
Kris Murray defensive rebound
19:39
Kris Murray misses two point jump shot
19:37
Dain Dainja defensive rebound
19:21
+3
Matthew Mayer makes three point jump shot (Terrence Shannon Jr. assists)
3-0
18:53
Filip Rebraca misses two point jump shot
18:51
Dain Dainja defensive rebound
18:42
Dain Dainja misses two point jump shot
18:40
Kris Murray defensive rebound
18:33
+3
Kris Murray makes three point jump shot (Tony Perkins assists)
3-3
18:06
+2
Dain Dainja makes two point dunk (Matthew Mayer assists)
5-3
17:44
Tony Perkins offensive foul (Terrence Shannon Jr. draws the foul)
17:44
Tony Perkins turnover (offensive foul)
17:38
+2
Dain Dainja makes two point layup (Matthew Mayer assists)
7-3
17:21
Dain Dainja personal foul (Filip Rebraca draws the foul)
17:03
+2
Kris Murray makes two point jump shot
7-5
16:47
+2
Matthew Mayer makes two point layup
9-5
16:29
+2
Tony Perkins makes two point jump shot
9-7
16:11
Jayden Epps misses three point jump shot
16:09
Tony Perkins defensive rebound
15:57
Connor McCaffery misses three point jump shot
15:55
Dain Dainja defensive rebound
15:49
Terrence Shannon Jr. turnover (bad pass)
15:49
TV timeout
15:38
+2
Ahron Ulis makes two point jump shot
9-9
15:14
Matthew Mayer misses three point jump shot
15:12
Ty Rodgers offensive rebound
15:12
Kris Murray personal foul (Ty Rodgers draws the foul)
15:03
+3
Terrence Shannon Jr. makes three point jump shot
12-9
14:41
Official timeout
14:39
Kris Murray misses three point jump shot
14:37
Ty Rodgers defensive rebound
14:29
Terrence Shannon Jr. misses two point layup
14:27
RJ Melendez offensive rebound
14:16
Terrence Shannon Jr. turnover (bad pass)
13:47
+2
Tony Perkins makes two point jump shot
12-11
13:17
Terrence Shannon Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:15
Kris Murray defensive rebound
13:10
Payton Sandfort misses three point jump shot
13:08
Sencire Harris defensive rebound
13:05
Payton Sandfort personal foul (Sencire Harris draws the foul)
13:00
Ty Rodgers turnover (bad pass)
12:46
+2
Patrick McCaffery makes two point hook shot (Tony Perkins assists)
12-13
12:29
+2
Ty Rodgers makes two point layup
14-13
12:07
+2
Filip Rebraca makes two point layup (Kris Murray assists)
14-15
11:39
+2
Matthew Mayer makes two point jump shot
16-15
11:25
Filip Rebraca misses two point jump shot
11:23
Payton Sandfort offensive rebound
11:09
+3
Tony Perkins makes three point jump shot
16-18
10:51
+2
Ty Rodgers makes two point layup
18-18
10:31
+2
Filip Rebraca makes two point jump shot (Patrick McCaffery assists)
18-20
10:17
Matthew Mayer turnover (bad pass) (Tony Perkins steals)
10:11
Patrick McCaffery misses two point layup
10:09
RJ Melendez defensive rebound
9:49
Dain Dainja misses two point layup
9:47
Payton Sandfort defensive rebound
9:41
+3
Payton Sandfort makes three point jump shot
18-23
9:15
Payton Sandfort personal foul (Dain Dainja draws the foul)
9:15
TV timeout
8:57
Coleman Hawkins misses two point hook shot
8:55
Matthew Mayer offensive rebound
8:51
+2
Matthew Mayer makes two point layup
20-23
8:37
Matthew Mayer shooting foul (Patrick McCaffery draws the foul)
8:37
Patrick McCaffery misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:37
+1
Patrick McCaffery makes regular free throw 2 of 2
20-24
8:30
Patrick McCaffery personal foul (Terrence Shannon Jr. draws the foul)
8:11
Dain Dainja turnover (3-second violation)
7:55
Patrick McCaffery misses two point jump shot
7:53
Dain Dainja defensive rebound
7:40
+2
Jayden Epps makes two point layup
22-24
7:27
+3
Josh Dix makes three point jump shot (Connor McCaffery assists)
22-27
7:06
+3
Matthew Mayer makes three point jump shot (Jayden Epps assists)
25-27
6:49
Connor McCaffery misses two point jump shot
6:47
Coleman Hawkins defensive rebound
6:44
Connor McCaffery personal foul (Coleman Hawkins draws the foul)
6:45
TV timeout
6:28
+2
Dain Dainja makes two point layup (Jayden Epps assists)
27-27
6:15
Josh Dix turnover (lost ball)
5:52
+3
Matthew Mayer makes three point jump shot (Ty Rodgers assists)
30-27
5:27
Filip Rebraca misses two point jump shot
5:25
Matthew Mayer defensive rebound
5:13
Jayden Epps misses two point jump shot
5:11
Dasonte Bowen defensive rebound
4:50
Matthew Mayer personal foul (Josh Dix draws the foul)
4:35
Dain Dainja shooting foul (Kris Murray draws the foul)
4:35
+1
Kris Murray makes regular free throw 1 of 2
30-28
4:35
+1
Kris Murray makes regular free throw 2 of 2
30-29
4:25
Ty Rodgers turnover (bad pass) (Kris Murray steals)
3:58
Coleman Hawkins blocks Dasonte Bowen's two point jump shot