No. 3 Purdue Basketball Hosts No. 13 Illinois With Share of Big Ten Lead on the Line
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After starting 1-2 in conference play, it's been a long and arduous climb for Purdue basketball to have a chance to reach the top of the Big Ten standings.
The team, now 20-3 on the year and 9-3 in the Big Ten, hosts No. 13 Illinois on Tuesday night at Mackey Arena. The Fighting Illini enter the matchup at 17-5 and a league-best 10-2 in the conference.
A victory for the No. 3-ranked Boilermakers would not only give them another season sweep of a conference foe and their sixth straight win, but it would give the team a shared spot atop the Big Ten lead. Wisconsin — just like Purdue — sits one game behind Illinois ahead of Tuesday's matchup.
The Badgers will travel to play Michigan State before the Boilermakers tip off against the Fighting Illini. The outcomes of both matchups will be crucial for the rest of the regular season.
Purdue traveled to Champaign, Illinois, and knocked off the Fighting Illini in a 96-88 win that was settled in double overtime, snapping a three-game losing skid against Illinois.
The Boilermakers are 9-2 under head coach Matt Painter at Mackey Arena against the Fighting Illini, having won seven of the last eight meetings. However, Illinois won the last meeting in West Lafayette, 79-62 on Jan. 21, 2020.
The Fighting Illini have dealt with several personnel changes throughout the season. Only four players on the roster have logged minutes in all of the team's 22 games so far.
Illinois star center Kofi Cockburn has missed five games this year, and guard Andre Curbelo has appeared in just eight games but is the Fighting Illini's fifth-leading scorer despite coming off the bench.
"They've had a lot of change throughout the year," Painter said. "They've done a great job of just rolling with the punches and playing the guys that they have. Obviously, they have a full roster now, but they're a tough team."
In the last meeting between the two teams, Cockburn scored just 10 points and grabbed five rebounds in 22 minutes. His playing time was significantly hindered by foul trouble, and the 7-foot junior fouled out of the game during the first overtime period.
However, Illinois was fueled by its guards in a close contest. Senior Alfonso Plummer scored a team-high 24 points on 6-12 shooting from the 3-point line. Curbelo, who entered the lineup after missing nearly two months of action, put up 20 points.
The Fighting Illini had 28 points coming from their bench, but the team was only able to muster 26 points in the paint without Cockburn playing a significant role.
Senior Trent Frazier added 16 points and five assists, but Purdue pulled away as Zach Edey and Trevion Williams combined for 34 points and 15 rebounds. The duo were among five Boilers to score in double figures.
"They've got a good bench," Painter said. "They had guys come in against us that barely played or didn't play in the previous games, play significant minutes and do a really good job. They have a deep team. They're an experienced team, a talented team. It's going to be a tough matchup."
Stories Related to Purdue Basketball
- KOFI COCKBURN NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Illinois junior center Kofi Cockburn was recognized as the Big Ten Player of the Week ahead of a matchup with Purdue at Mackey Arena on Tuesday. Cockburn averaged 27 points and 10 rebounds in the last two games for the Fighting Illini. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE RANKED THIRD IN AP POLL: Following victories over Minnesota and Michigan, Purdue moved up to No. 3 in the latest Associated Press College Basketball Top 25 poll. The team is slated to tip off against No. 13 Illinois on Tuesday at Mackey Arena. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE REACHES 1,000 WINS IN REGULAR-SEASON BIG TEN PLAY: After an 82-76 victory against Michigan on Saturday at Mackey Arena, Purdue basketball improved to 20-3 during the 2021-22 season and 9-3 in Big Ten play. The win was the 1,000th in program history against conference opponents during the regular season. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE ENDS LOSING SKID TO MICHIGAN: Purdue basketball earned its first victory over Michigan since Jan. 25, 2018, on Saturday afternoon at Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers were led by Jaden Ivey's 23 points, but Trevion Williams added 19 in his first win over the Wolverines in four years with the program. CLICK HERE
- OFFENSE PUSHES PURDUE PAST MINNESOTA: Jaden Ivey scored 21 points and came down with 10 rebounds to lead Purdue to a win over Minnesota on the road. Eric Hunter Jr. registered a career-high 20 points while Sasha Stefanovic became the ninth player in program history to hit 200 career 3-pointers. CLICK HERE
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.