IOWA CITY — Iowa men's basketball lost to Illinois 75-69 on Sunday at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes battled back from an 18-point deficit. Tavion Banks was Iowa's leading scorer with 16 points despite battling an illness.

Iowa's availability report lists starter Tavion Banks as "questionable" vs. Illinois

It it an offensive issue or defensive issue for the Iowa men’s basketball team? In a nearly sold out house at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the Hawkeyes dropped its second straight game in the final seconds after nearly completing a 15-plus point comeback.

With Big Ten play all that surrounds basketball season, the Hawkeyes are playing consistently high-quality programs in a quicker turnaround. That includes Iowa's game against Minnesota, just three days after its win over UCLA.

As Iowa men's basketball hits the New Year, there is still so much potential for what coach Ben McCollum's Hawkeyes can accomplish this season.

IOWA CITY — Iowa men's basketball has moved up to 19th in the most recent Associated Press Top 25. The Hawkeyes were previously ranked 25th. Iowa also checked in at 19th in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Hawkeyes were previously 23rd.

The double-digit lead had vanished. Their legs had to feel like Jell-O after logging so many minutes in a slugfest. The situation felt like an “uh-oh” moment. The shorthanded Gophers men’s basketball squad lost a 14-point lead and trailed by one point against the No.

The Hawkeyes fell just short of a 14-point comeback win after Minnesota made a game-winning triple in the final minute of regulation.