Hawkeye men have a big hurdle in Illini to clear .500 mark in Big Ten

February has been a valentine of a month for the Iowa men’s basketball program the last several years, and the past week has been an extension of that.

The Hawkeyes are 34-14 in February since 2018. The two most recent wins were a box of chocolates and a dozen roses, 88-86 in overtime over Wisconsin at home last Saturday and 78-71 at Michigan State Tuesday.

Saturday, a win would be a heart-shaped pendant encrusted with diamonds. The Hawkeyes play No. 12 Illinois in Champaign at 1:15 p.m. It’s about as tough a challenge as the Big Ten offers right now.

Illinois (19-7, 10-5 Big Ten) is coming off a 90-89 loss at Penn State Wednesday after squandering a 14-point lead, which will probably make the Illini all the hungrier.

It isn’t as if the Hawkeyes (16-11, 8-8) lack motivation. They’re still in the bracketology hinterland, but a third Quad 1 win in eight days would pull them into the NCAA tournament discussion.

Completing that hat trick figures to be difficult indeed.

“They’re not only one of the best teams in our league, but one of the best teams in the country,” Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said Friday.

It’s a team with rebounding prowess, a great fondness for making 3-pointers, experience and size. Their starters range from 6-foot-5 to 6-10. Their top three scorers are fifth-year players.

Terrence Shannon is a 6-6 guard whose 22 points per game ranks sixth nationally. Marcus Domask averages 15.5 points and is an excellent passer.

“He’s a versatile guy, a 2,000-point scorer,” McCaffery said. “He makes winning plays. He’s made a difference on that team.”

Iowa freshman center Owen Freeman will be challenged by Coleman Hawkins, a fellow 6-10 player. Hawkins leads the Illini in blocked shots and steals, and has made 43 threes.

As for the Hawkeyes, they’re seeking to rise above .500 in the Big Ten for the first time this season. Getting to that level didn’t seem all that realistic a week ago Saturday morning.

“It’s a resilient group,” McCaffery said.

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