Big Ten Roundup (Dec. 21): Former Hoosier Marty Simmons Leads Eastern Illinois to Epic Upset at Iowa
History was made in Iowa City on Wednesday, when Iowa lost to Eastern Illinois 92-83 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena despite being 31.5-point favorites. It's the first time in the modern era that such a heavy favorite has lost a game.
How crazy is it? Since the mid-1980s, there were 588 teams that have been favored by 30 points or more. All 588 won — until the Hawkeyes lost, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
There was good reason for Iowa to be such a heavy favorite, too. Before the game, Eastern Illinois was No. 356 out of 363 Division I teams in the KenPom rankings.
It was just the second win ever for Eastern Illinois against a Big Ten school. The Panthers, who are coached by former Indiana player Marty Simmons, beat Wisconsin in 1987. He played at Indiana from 1983 to 1985 before finishing his career at Evansville. This is his second season at Eastern Illinois.
The Panthers (4-9) shot 21-for-29 after intermission — 72 percent — including 4-of-8 from three-point range. Iowa, playing without veteran starters Kris Murray (left foot) and Connor McCaffery (left hand), went 2-of-17 behind the arc and 11-of-36 overall (31 percent).
Iowa is now 8-4 after its final nonconference game.
“It should linger, so it never happens again," said Iowa fifth-year senior Filip Rebraca, who finished with 24 points and eight rebounds. "We should always use it as motivation. We understand what happened tonight. So when we come back from break, we’ve got to understand this can never happen again.
"We didn’t respect them. Every opponent that comes in here, no matter what division … you respect them," Rebraca said. "Every time you respect a player that means giving your all to play against them. And I just don’t think we did that."
Iowa re-opens Big Ten play with road games at Nebraska and Penn State. Its next home game is against Indiana on Jan. 5.
Iowa coach Fran McCaffery suffered the worst loss of his career Wednesday, losing to Eastern Illinois as a 31.5-point favorite. That's never happened before in the modern era, an underdog by 30 points over more winning a game. (USA TODAY Sports)
Biggest upsets ever
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Eastern Illinois became the first underdog of 30 or more points to win outright in the past 30 seasons. Here are the four biggest upsets during the modern era:
- Eastern Illinois defeated Iowa 92-83 on Dec, 21, 2022 in Iowa City as a 31.5-point underdog. It was the first time in the modern era where a team favored to win by 30 points or more lost a game, covering a span of 559 games. It was Eastern's second-ever win over a Big Ten team, and the first in 35 years.
- Stephen F. Austin defeated No. 1-ranked Duke 85-83 in overtime on Nov. 26, 2019 in Durham, N.C. as a 27.5-point underdog. The win snapped Duke's 150-game winning streak at home against nonconference foes, the longest streak in the history of college basketball. Duke finished 25-6 that year.
- Charleston Southern defeated Missouri 68-60 on Dec. 3, 2019 in Columbia, Mo., as a 26-point underdog. Charleston ranked No. 352 out of 353 teams in three-point shooting prior to that game, but made 10 in the upset of Cuonzo Martin's Tigers.
- Gardner Webb defeated No. 20 Kentucky on Nov. 7, 2007 in Lexington, Ky. as a 26-point underdog. It was Billy Gillespie's second game as Kentucky's coach. The Wildcats finished 18-13 that year and lost to Marquette in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Gillespie lasted only two years at Kentucky, and was replaced by John Calipari in 2009.
Wednesday's Big Ten results
- No. 1 Purdue 74, New Orleans 53: Redshirt freshman Trey Kaufman-Renn scored a career-high 24 points with All-American candidate Zach Edey out with the flu, and the No. 1 Boilermakers went to 12-0 with a win over New Orleans. For the complete game story, CLICK HERE
- North Carolina 80, Michigan 76: Armando Bacot scored 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, RJ Davis hit four 3-pointers and finished with 19 points and North Carolina held on to beat Michigan 80-76. The Tar Heels (9-4) have beaten two big Ten teams (Michigan, Ohio State) since losing to Indiana last month. Michigan (7-4) has lost all four high-profile nonconference games this season.
- Michigan State 67, Oakland 54: Joey Hauser had 16 points in the Spartans' (8-4) win over Oakland (2-11). Hauser was red-hot from the floor (6-of-9) and from beyond the three-point line (4-of-5). The senior added four rebounds, four assists and a steal. For the complete game story, CLICK HERE
- Ohio State 95, Maine 61: Brice Sensabaugh had 19 points and Ohio State (8-3) had four others in double figures in a win over Maine (6-6). The Buckeyes shot 61.2 percent from the field.
Thursday's Big Ten schedule
- Chicago State (3-11) at Minnesota (5-6), 1 p.m. ET. (TV: Big Ten Network)
- Quinnipiac (9-3) at Penn State (8-3), 4:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
- Saint Peter's (6-5) at Maryland (8-3), 6:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
- No. 16 Illinois (8-3) at Missouri (10-1), 9 p.m. ET (TV: SEC Network)
