Game thread: Illinois 68, No. 18 Iowa 66

Follow a live ticker of updates from Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis as Iowa takes on Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten tournament. Refresh the page throughout the game for extended updates and highlights below.

Postgame Reading

Illinois punches out Iowa

Hlas: Some year, Hawkeyes should try showing up at a Big Ten tourney

Best of times, worst of times for Peter Jok

Iowa searches for answers as NCAA tournament approaches

Final - Illinois 68, Iowa 66

Another year, another Big Ten Tournament wipeout for the Iowa Hawkeyes.

For the third straight season, the Hawkeyes punched out in their first league tourney game, this time to Illinois 68-66. It's also the third consecutive season a double-digit seed has canned the Hawkeyes.

Illinois (15-18), which was seeded 12th, won for the second straight day and will face Purdue on Friday. Iowa (21-10) awaits its NCAA tournament fate on Sunday.

The Hawkeyes trailed 66-55 with 3:28 left. A double-technical was assessed to Iowa's Peter Jok and Illinois guard Kendrick Nunn after a shoving incident under the basket. Jok fouled out because of it.

Iowa put together a fierce 11-0 run to tie the game at 66-66, highlighted by a 3-pointer from forward Dom Uhl. Illinois' Malcolm Hill hit a jumper with 1:12 left to put the Illini ahead 68-66. Iowa had two late possessions to tie the game but failed to score.

The Hawkeyes had the ball with 15.2 seconds left and drove up the court, but point guard Mike Gesell was pickpocketed. He was able to tie up Illinois' Alex Austin and Iowa retained possession with 4.8 seconds left. After timeouts by both teams, Gesell inbounded toward Uhl, but the ball was batted away by Nunn. Uhl was the last player to touch the ball, and Illinois took over with 2.6 seconds left. Illinois then ran out the clock.

Iowa struggled from the field early, hitting just four of its first 13 shots. A 3-pointer from Jarrod Uthoff — who scored 11 of Iowa's first 13 points — cut Iowa's deficit to 13-11. Then the Illini stormed to a 9-0 run, aided by three consecutive Iowa turnovers, to twice take an 11-point lead. One possession included three shots and two offensive boards, leading to a Maverick Morgan layup.

Then Jok got hot. He hit a jumper, then after a Gesell 3-pointer, he single-handedly brought Iowa back in the game. He scored on six straight possessions, knocking down 3-pointers on the first three trips. He hit another jumper, followed by a pair of free throws and then a layup to to put Iowa ahead 33-30.

Jok finished with 29 points and Jarrod Uthoff scored 21.

Iowa was a fifth seed last year when it lost to 13th-seeded Penn State. Two years ago, Iowa was a No. 6 seed and fell to No. 11 Northwestern.

-- Scott Dochterman

1:33 2nd - Illinois 66, Iowa 66

Well then.

Iowa seemed dead, but is on a 14-3 run to tie it.

After the story earlier was the Hawkeyes not getting contributions from anyone but Jok or Uthoff, the bench stepped up.

Dom Uhl's 3 cut it to three, then Nicholas Baer's three-point play tied it up.

Suddenly, we've got an exciting finish in store.

7:02 2nd - Illinois 63, Iowa 52

Ugly, ugly, ugly.

Iowa has turned it over five times in the last six minutes and is just 2 for its last 11.

The Hawkeyes are shooting 33.3 percent in the second half.

There's always this:

Spring football starts in a few weeks. There's an open practice in Des Moines on April 9 and the spring game at Kinnick is April 23.March 10, 2016

Spring football starts in a few weeks. There's an open practice in Des Moines on April 9 and the spring game at Kinnick is April 23.

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman)

14:24 2nd - Illinois 55, Iowa 47

Illinois on fire out of the locker room, hitting four 3-pointers and extending its lead to eight.

For Iowa, it's once again basically two guys in the scoring column.

Jok has 27 points, Uthoff 15, the rest 5. Iowa down 51-47, 15:38 left.March 10, 2016

Jok has 27 points, Uthoff 15, the rest 5. Iowa down 51-47, 15:38 left.

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman)

Half - Illinois 37, Iowa 35

Iowa fell behind 24-13, but rallied behind the red-hot shooting of Peter Jok.

Jok scored 15 straight for Iowa at one point to put the Hawkeyes up 33-30 and has 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range, at the half.

Jarrod Uthoff has 13 for Iowa.

Illinois scored the last five points of the half and is shooting 51.9 percent to Iowa's 42.4 mark.

Maverick Morgan has 12 points to lead the Illini.

3:02 1st - Iowa 29, Illinois 28

Peter Jok is in the building.

The Iowa junior hits three 3-pointers and is up to a current game-high 13 points as Iowa goes on a 16-4 run to take the lead.

Jok himself has scored Iowa's last 11 points.

All 12 of Iowa's baskets are assisted. Jok and Uthoff have combined for 24 of Iowa's 28 points.March 10, 2016

All 12 of Iowa's baskets are assisted. Jok and Uthoff have combined for 24 of Iowa's 28 points.

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman)

.March 10, 2016

.@IowaHoops' Peter Jok is heating up https://t.co/GqfaTtCkrg #MarchOnBTN pic.twitter.com/5wBOWzdf2J

— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN)

STREAM »

7:40 1st - Illinois 24, Iowa 13

Hasn't been pretty for the Hawkeyes, with Illinois on an 11-2 run.

Iowa has turned it over seven times and the Illini have a 12-2 edge in points off turnovers.

Jarrod Uthoff has 11 points, but beyond that, it's been a struggle.

The strategy is much better when it's get the ball to Uthoff.March 10, 2016

The strategy is much better when it's get the ball to Uthoff.

— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman)

11:31 1st - Illinois 13, Iowa 11

Illinois has no answer for Jarrod Uthoff during this stretch.

The Iowa senior, who earlier Thursday was named one of five finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year, gets seven points in three minutes to cut the Hawkeyes' deficit to two.

After a fast start, Illinois has been sloppy, with four turnovers in the last four minutes and a scoring drought of 2:52. 

15:34 1st - Illinois 11, Iowa 4

Illini on a 7-0 run for an early lead at the first media timeout.

Maverick Morgan is 3-for-3 early for six points. Iowa is off to a cold start, having missed five of its last six shots.

Preview

Matchup: No. 5 seed Iowa (21-9, 12-6) vs. No. 12 seed Illinois (14-18, 5-13)

Time: 1:50 p.m.

TV: BTN (Online: BTN2Go)

Pregame Reading: Iowa-Illinois breakdown

Iowa still has a shot at Des Moines

Iowa has parallels with 2013 Michigan, 2014 Wisconsin

Anthony Clemmons remains the glue to Iowa's defense

The March 10, 2016

The #Hawkeyes have arrived for their #B1GTourney game against Illinois in Indianapolis. @ScottDochterman @Hlas pic.twitter.com/RqEtd1A1F1

— Stephen Mally (@stephenmally)