The last time Iowa men’s basketball hit the road to play the Fighting Illini in Champaign at State Farm Center, Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn blocked what would’ve been a game-tying, 15-foot jumper from center Luka Garza at the buzzer.

This season, the Hawkeyes’ road showdown with Illinois was also decided in the final seconds of the game.

After a goaltending call on Cockburn was reversed with 1:06 remaining in the second half, the Hawkeyes found themselves trailing the Illini, 72-76, instead of 74-76 had the goaltending call against Cockburn stood.

Even after the goaltending call didn’t go their way, the Hawkeyes continued to create opportunities late, as senior guard Jordan Bohannon hit a 3-pointer with just under 12 seconds remaining in the game to pull Iowa within three of the lead, 78-75.

On the ensuing Illinois inbound, the Hawkeyes found a way to force a five-second inbound violation, regaining possession down three with 11.6 second left on the clock.

Iowa could not capitalize on the forced turnover, as Bohannon fired a difficult 3-point shot from the right wing that caught the iron.

“[Bohannon] had just hit one,” Garza said postgame. “… At first the play was for me. [Bohannon] was curling, trying to screen me. [Cockburn] did a good job getting through the screen. I had no space. So, I tried to be able to set a screen for [Bohannon]. They switched the last one on the possession before that [Bohannon] hit. I kind of thought they were going to switch again, and they didn’t. They fought through and made it tough on [Bohannon] to get a good look.”

Even after Bohannon’s misfire, the Hawkeyes still had a chance to tie the game. Cockburn – a 56 percent free-throw shooter this season – was fouled with three seconds left in the game. In what could’ve been a fortunate break for Iowa, Cockburn missed the front half of a one-and-one trip to the charity stripe.

The Hawkeyes, however, could not snare the rebound following Cockburn’s miss. After the Illini big man grabbed his own board, Iowa was forced to foul again. Then, Cockburn hit two free throws to seal the game, 80-75.

After the two teams split last season’s two-game series, Friday night was a grudge match of sorts in a rejuvenated rivalry.

“It’s us versus Illinois,” Garza said. “It’s a physical game. It’s another night in the Big Ten. We were two great teams, and they’re a very, very good team. They were better tonight. We had stretches where we could’ve won this game, and we know that, and we reflect on that, and that’s unfortunate because we only get to see them once during the regular season. Hopefully, we’ll be able to see them in the Big Ten Tournament or past that. I think we did some good things. We were right there… It just hurts when you have an effort like that and you can’t come out with a win.”

While Garza and the Hawkeyes did play good enough basketball to make the game close down the stretch, they were not at full strength, as sophomore guard and starter C.J. Fredrick missed Friday’s game with a lower leg injury.

McCaffery said postgame that Fredrick is day-to-day, and that he is being held out to prevent further injury.

Garza also saw limited action in the second half as he was bogged down by foul trouble. After he picked up his third personal foul with 17:30 remaining in the second half, head coach Fran McCaffery elected to bench Garza until 10 minutes and 19 seconds were left on the game clock.

“I got to be better for my team and not put myself in positions to be in foul trouble,” Garza said. “This was a very physical game. When you got a guy like Kofi and a guy like me, we’re really going to battle. So, it’s unfortunate that I put myself in those positions, and I wasn’t able to help my team, and that’s tough. It’s always tough to have to watch from the bench and not be able to go out there and help them. I tried to do what I could when I was in there, but I got to be better for my team and make sure I’m out there as much as I can be.”

“When I started getting in foul trouble, it really prohibited me from trying to protect the rim as much as I wanted to.”