The Iowa Hawkeyes took on the Eastern Illinois Panthers in what was expected to be a walkover opponent for Iowa. However, things did *not* go to plan for Iowa, and they suffered what’s undoubtedly one of the biggest college basketball upsets in recent memory.
Iowa blew an eight-point halftime lead and lost 92-83 to an Eastern Illinois team that came into Wednesday’s game with only one Division-1 win on the season.
This was a historic loss for Iowa in a number of ways.
According to Max Meyer of Caesar’s Sportsbook, Iowa closed as a 31.5-point favorite over Eastern Illinois on the sportsbook. This loss marks the first time in the last 30 years that a 30-point favorite has lost outright.
Iowa closed as a 31.5-point favorite over Eastern Illinois at @CaesarsSports. There wasn't even a pregame moneyline offered!
No men's college basketball team had lost outright as at least a 30-point favorite in the last 30 years (H/T @ESPNStatsInfo).
A historic upset by EIU.
— Max Meyer (@TheMaxMeyer) December 21, 2022
This loss also marks the worst loss in the Fran McCaffery era at Iowa, with the Panthers entering the game ranked 356th out of a possible 363 Division 1 college basketball teams by Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency metrics, according to Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register (they’re now ranked 346th after the win).
FINAL: Eastern Illinois 92, Iowa 83.
Worst loss of the McCaffery era by the KenPom metric (Panthers #356).
— Chad Leistikow
(@ChadLeistikow) December 21, 2022
Many around the college basketball world took to social media to express their disbelief at this wild upset by Eastern Illinois on Wednesday.
Iowa loses a buy game to Eastern Illinois. The epitome of brutality,” tweeted CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.
Iowa loses a buy game to Eastern Illinois. The epitome of brutality.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 21, 2022
“The game before Christmas break is dangerous for a favorite because a team can ‘go on Christmas break’ without telling their coach. We’ve all been there. Eastern Illinois, a 31.5 underdog, just beat Iowa by 9 in Iowa City,” tweeted ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla.
The game before Christmas break is dangerous for a favorite because a team can “go on Christmas break”without telling their coach. We’ve all been there. Eastern Illinois, a 31.5 underdog, just beat Iowa by 9 in Iowa City.
— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) December 21, 2022
“Eastern Illinois played a fabulous game. Iowa did the opposite. The Panthers are roaring in their dressing room. They took 12 less shots than Iowa, made 8 more,” tweeted Mike Hlas of the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
Eastern Illinois played a fabulous game. Iowa did the opposite. The Panthers are roaring in their dressing room. They took 12 less shots than Iowa, made 8 more.
— Mike Hlas (@Hlas) December 21, 2022
It’s certainly a disastrous loss for McCaffery and the Hawkeyes, and this could be a loss that they regret down the stretch of the season if they miss out on the NCAA Tournament next March.