Purdue Coach Matt Painter on Top Illinois Basketball Players He Has Faced

The longtime Boilermakers' coach focused on recent Illini on-court troublemakers

Mar 5, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter walks on the court after the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Purdue coach Matt Painter has had as much success as anyone in the Big Ten against Illinois in recent years, so he knows a thing or two about game-planning for the Illini's most dangerous threats.

Painter was also a player for the Boilermakers back in the late '80s and early '90s, so he knows what talent on the floor looks like – especially when it comes packaged in orange and blue. As a freshman in 1989-90, Painter played against Illinois' Kendall Gill, Stephen Bardo and Marcus Liberty – the remaining stars of Lou Henson's Flyin' Illini squad and all future NBA players.

So when he was asked to identify the top three Illinois players he has faced, he needed a moment. But he soon landed on his trio – and threw in one more for good measure – focusing on the Illini who have caused the Boilers the most trouble in recent years:

Ayo Dosunmu (2018-21)

Dosunmu was frequently brilliant in his three seasons at Illinois, when he lifted the Illini from a 12-21 record in his freshman year to a 24-7 finish and a Big Ten Tournament championship as a junior All-American. But the truth is that Purdue gave Ayo more fits than the opposite was true. He averaged just 11.3 points and 3.8 rebounds, shot 1 for 10 on 3-pointers and was nicked for 10 turnovers (against a single steal) across four career games against the Boilermakers.

Still, Dosunmu's size, his presence as a constant threat in transition and his ability to create opportunities for others when his own were denied (4.5 assists per game against Purdue) stood out even when the Boilers forced him to grind. Among the top three Illini, Painter has faced, "Ayo's definitely there," the coach said.

Kofi Cockburn (2019-22)

Cockburn was the thunder to Dosunmu's lightning, a 7-foot, 285-pound force of nature that Painter and his crew didn't have an answer for – at least at first. "Kofi gave us such problems before we got big again," Painter said. "He had our guys shook there for about a three-game span."

Painter, we have to assume, is referring to Cockburn's freshman and sophomore seasons, when the big man averaged 16.0 points (on 63.6 percent shooting), 9.7 points and 1.7 blocks. Illinois won all three games, including a 63-37 pounding in Cockburn's first swipe at Purdue, which looked like something out of a Godzilla movie.

The Boilers got Cockburn and the Illini back as future NCAA Player of the Year Zach Edey blossomed, winning both meetings in Cockburn's junior (and last) season in Champaign. Still, even in defeat, Cockburn – a two-time All-American selection – outplayed Edey and sent bodies scattering in his final go at Purdue, despite being limited by foul trouble.

Terrence Shannon Jr. (2022-24)

No surprise here. Shannon (20.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 3s per game as an Illini) was nitroglycerine for opponents the moment he set foot in Champaign after his transfer from Texas A&M – and Purdue was no exception.

"Terrence Shannon was so fast – he was just a tough cover," Painter said. "We didn't have him for one of our games, and he didn't play well against us in the other game. But he still is so fast. He was just so hard to deal with, especially in the open court when he's making shots and making threes. That got a little bit too tough."

The Boilers tripped up the Illini in both meetings last season, but Shannon – like Dosunmu and Cockburn before him, an All-American in his last season at Illinois – was the jet fuel his squad needed to make a late run, win the Big Ten Tournament and rocket to the Elite Eight.

Trent Frazier (2017-22)

"This is probably, like, you kind of have your own favorites of other people's players – it's probably Trent Frazier," Painter said. "I like his defense. I like the way about him. I like that they changed coaches and he stayed. I just like that it seemed like when adversity hit, he kept pushing through."

Painter isn't alone. Frazier remains a fan favorite at Illinois for many of the reasons he found a soft spot in heart of the Boilers' coach. After turning in what would be his most prolific season as a freshman (when he received Big Ten All-Freshman honors), Frazier committed to mainlining energy, clutch shooting and defensive grit even as others may have crowded him out of a more significant offensive role.

"They were so good with him and Ayo and [Da'Monte] Williams defensively that year," Painter said of Frazier and the 2020-21 Illini, whose defensive length and ball-hawking saw them finish first in the Big Ten in defensive rating. "They caused us problems."