Iowa edges past Illinois behind Tony Perkins' 32 points

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Tony Perkins scored 25 of his career-high 32 points in the second half and Iowa edged Illinois 81-79 on Saturday to snap a five-game losing streak to the Fighting Illini.

Perkins shot 8 of 11 from the floor and missed just one of 16 free-throw attempts, all of them coming in the second half. Kris Murray added 19 points and Filip Rebraca 13 for Iowa (15-8, 7-5 Big Ten), which won its third straight and seventh of its last nine.

Matthew Mayer hit four 3-pointers and scored 21 points for Illinois (16-7, 7-5), which had a three-game win streak snapped after coming in having won seven of its last eight. Dain Dainja added 17 points and nine rebounds, Jayden Epps had 14 of his 16…