The Illinois Fighting Illini wrapped up regular season Big Ten conference play with a comeback victory at home over the 18th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers. In a back-and-forth affair, the Fighting Illini closed the game on a 13-1 run to secure the win and prevent Purdue from clinching the coveted double-bye ahead of the Big Ten Tournament next week. The win clinches the sixth consecutive 20-win season for Brad Underwood’s team, joining just three other Division I programs in that group.
The Purdue Boilermakers had the lead for most of the game, but a reversal of fortunes shooting the ball late turned the tide and allowed Illinois to come out on top. The Fighting Illini were led by a pair of star freshmen in this game. Will Riley led them in scoring with 22. Kasparas Jakucionis hit the dagger three-pointer with under a minute to go which sealed the game. Purdue was unable to respond. The Boilermakers had relied on Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn heavily in the contest. They were unable to mount a late comeback.
Illinois Fighting Illini Storm Back
The Illinois Fighting Illini beat the Purdue Boilermakers 88-80 in a Friday night Big Ten thriller at the State Farm Center in Champaign. A pair of the best teams in the Big Ten fought for 40 minutes. The Illini prevailed after a 13-1 run in the final two minutes of action to win the regular season finale. Purdue led for most of the game behind the playmaking of Smith and the tenacity of Kaufman-Renn. Smith finished one rebound short of a triple-double. Kaufman-Renn led all scorers with 29 points on 13-of-23 shooting.
Purdue had the advantage early with Smith controlling the game. Illinois had no answer for the two-man game of Smith and Kaufman-Renn. The pair tortured Fighting Illini defenders in the high pick-and-roll. Tomislav Ivisic got into foul trouble early, and with Morez Johnson Jr. still out with a wrist injury, Underwood had to get creative with his rotations. The smaller lineup provided a spark, and after Purdue enjoyed a comfortable lead for most of the first half. Illinois finished the first half on a 7-0 run led by Riley to cut the Boilermaker lead to just two at the break.
Purdue came out in the second half and went back to their bread and butter with Smith and Kaufman-Renn to extend their lead. Illinois’ defense failed to communicate and make the necessary on-the-fly adjustments to keep up with the savvy Smith. Kaufman-Renn attacked every matchup he had down low. When Ivisic was in the game, he used his quickness and agility to get around and shield him from the basket. When he was guarded by a smaller defender and Illinois didn’t send any help defenders, he used his strength and size to dominate.
Tight Finish In Big Ten Showdown
Kaufman-Renn shot 13-of-23 from the field but it could have easily been 17 or 18-of-23 with how he was able to get inside to the rim. He missed a couple of easy chances that might’ve made the difference later in the game. That was a huge storyline of this game for both sides. The offensive manipulation and strategy were impeccable, but the results often fell short. In addition to Kaufman-Renn for Purdue, when Illinois collapsed on the big man, their shooters struggled to knock down open three-pointers. The Boilermakers finished 5of-18 from beyond the arc and Fletcher Loyer failed to record a made three.
For the Illinois Fighting Illini, it was a similar story as so many of their games this season. Their ball handlers created favorable matchups and beat the man in front of them to initiate the offense, but the three-ball wasn’t falling early. Halfway through the second half, Illinois made a concerted effort to get to the basket and finish at the rim after missing nine three-pointers in a row. The adjustment paid off and Illinois took the lead 67-66 with under eight minutes to go.
The teams battled down the stretch. The defense tightened up, especially closing out on three-pointers. Points came at a premium and with a minute to go the game was tied at 79. Illinois had the ball and Jakucionis found himself matched up with Caleb Furst. After struggling all game and trying multiple step-back threes, Jakucionis went to the well and got Furst off balance before pulling back and nailing the shot from distance to give Illinois the three-point lead. He may have only finished with 10 points, but he had the three biggest of the night. Illinois went on to win 88-80.
Final Thoughts
This was a momentum-building win for the Illinois Fighting Illini. They had been coming off of a three-game losing streak before these last three wins over Purdue, Michigan, and Iowa. The previous victories were solid performances but this one feels like it carries more weight. After facing a brutal schedule and overcoming injuries, this game was a huge step in the right direction for Brad Underwood’s team as the postseason looms.
Illinois has so much talent and has dealt with so much uncertainty on their roster that even in the final game of the regular season they are trying new lineups to see what works best for them. With Ivisic in foul trouble and struggling on the defensive end, they found a spark with a smaller lineup that might be useful in the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.
The Illinois Fighting Illini are still way too reliant on the three-pointer and are not showing any signs of becoming more consistent shooting or on the defensive end. This likely will rear its head over the final month of the season. They are a dangerous team to contend with that on any given day can play like the best team in the country. Defeating this Purdue Boilermakers team showed what the team is capable of even if they aren’t at full strength and their primary offensive weapon is ineffective for most of the game. The sky is the limit for the Illinois Fighting Illini, and as March Madness begins, they are the biggest threat to get in their way.
