No. 11 Illinois Takes Down No. 4 Purdue in a Thrilling 88-82 Win on the Road

In a day that saw high-scoring games all across college basketball, the 11th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini and No. 4 Purdue Boilermakers put on an offensive clinic themselves, which saw the Illini pull out a tough win on the road to move to 17-3 on the season.

Illinois Torches Purdue From Deep As Keaton Wagler Breaks Multiple Records In Win

Coming down the stretch in the second half, the Fighting Illini caught fire from beyond the arc to walk out of Mackey Arena with the victory. Illinois made four straight triples to go up 82-77 with 58 seconds left, as the Fighting Illini drained 18 threes while shooting an efficient 47% in the game. Those 18 threes made the difference for Illinois, as Purdue only managed to knock down 7 threes for the game.

The star of the game for the Fighting Illini was star freshman Keaton Wagler, who was a one-man army for Illinois in the win. Wagler dropped 46 points for Illinois, which set the single-game freshman scoring record in program history, as well as the Mackey Arena scoring record for an opposing player. The Fighting Illini’s other highly touted freshman, David Mirkovic, also provided the extra boost Illinois needed to pull out the win. Mirkovic finished with 12 points and 8 rebounds.

It was a remarkable performance from both Wagler and the Fighting Illini, who were dealt a major blow earlier this week when it was announced they would be without the services of their senior point guard and team leader, Kylan Boswell, for an extended period of time. Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood said during a press conference on Tuesday that Boswell would be out for a month due to a right-hand injury that he suffered in practice on Monday. Boswell had put together a fantastic senior campaign.

Purdue’s Offense Impresses Despite the Loss

While the Boilermakers had their chance to pull away and secure the win against Illinois, they can walk away from this game with their heads held high. Purdue put on an offensive showcase today, as they shot a mind-boggling 57% from the field while also finishing with more field goals made overall as they edged out Illinois 33-27 in that department. The Boilermakers also used their size advantage to perfection to dominate Illinois in points in the paint, 42-14.

The star of the show for the Boilermakers today was their senior Braden Smith. He finished with 27 points and 12 assists, flashing his scoring chops and impeccable playmaking skills in a valiant effort. Smith would see the majority of his offensive production come in the second half, as he dropped 19 of his 27 points in the period, as he tried to will Purdue to the win.

The two biggest areas that Purdue struggled with in the loss were rebounding and free throws. The Boilermakers got thoroughly outplayed on the glass as they were outrebounded 33-19 in the loss. Purdue grabbed just 3 offensive rebounds in the game. The Boilermakers only attempted 11 free throws in the game, as they seemed to deviate from the physicality that longtime Head Coach Matt Painter is known for.

Updated Big Ten Standings and What’s Next for Both Teams

A great deal was riding on this game, as both Illinois and Purdue came in tied for fourth place in the Big Ten at 7-1. Following the win, the Fighting Illini are now tied for second place in the Big Ten with both No. 3 Michigan and No. 10 Michigan State.

Illinois will get a bit of a rest following today’s game. They will next play against Washington at home next Thursday. This extended period of rest will provide the Illini ample time to prepare for their game against Washington, but also for their game next Sunday, as they’ll travel to Lincoln to match up against No. 7 Nebraska in perhaps the biggest game of the season.

Meanwhile, Purdue will have a quick turnaround following this game, as they’ll go on the road to face Indiana on Tuesday. The Hoosiers have lost 4 of their last 5 games, with three of those losses coming against the top teams in the Big Ten. Purdue’s road game will represent the first of two straight away games for the Boilermakers, who will be looking to snap their current two-game skid and jump back up the Big Ten standings.