Freshman steals show to lead Illinois past Purdue basketball in winless week
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WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue men's basketball dropped a second straight Big Ten game thanks to a superlative performance from an opposing guard.
This time it was Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler who scored at a historic level — 46 points on 13-of-17 shooting — to lead an 88-82 victory at Mackey Arena. Purdue (17-3, 7-2 Big Ten) had a winless week after losing at UCLA on Tuesday. Illinois (17-3, 8-1) has won nine straight games.
Here's what I liked and disliked, and what the loss means.
What I liked in Purdue basketball's loss vs Illinois
Mackey Arena went almost completely silent when Braden Smith clutched his ankle and did not get up off the floor with 14:37 remaining in the game.
Smith hobbled a bit, sat down, had the ankle checked by the athletic trainer, and returned with 53 seconds of game clock later. When he drove and dished to Jack Benter for a 3 soon after, it gave him a double-double.
After Illinois opened a five-point lead in the final minute, Smith’s 3 cut it back to one possession. He finished with 27 points and 12 assists with a single turnover. On a day when Purdue needed a star to offset Keaton Wagler's unconscious performance, Smith delivered.
∎ While a recent 3-point shooting dip drew a lot of attention, Purdue did not force the issue. Instead it came out attacking the softer interior of Illinois’ defense. The Boilers scored their first eight points in the paint and 16 of their first 22. That eventually helped open Omer Mayer up for a couple of wide open looks from 3 as Purdue started 3 for 3 behind the arc.
∎ As Purdue struggled to do anything to interrupt Wagler, it at least ran one of its most efficient offensive halves of the season. It shot 63% from the field before half and turned the ball over only once. The Boilers went to half with a 10-0 edge in points off turnovers.
What I disliked in Purdue basketball's loss vs Illinois
Fans who did not like how Purdue approached the final defensive possession at UCLA were likely apoplectic watching Illinois’ Keaton Wagler drain 3 after 3 over Boilers bigs in the first half. He scored Illinois’ first 14 points, and 19 of its first 21. Purdue had held him without a field goal since the 9:58 mark until he hit a 3 over an exasperated Trey Kaufman-Renn late in the half.
To start the second half, Wagler made a wide-open 3 off an Illini offensive rebound, then took Kaufman-Renn off the dribble for a mid-range jumper. He later made a deep 3 against Gicarri Harris, drew a foul on the landing and made the free throw.
Wagler already had the visiting player Mackey scoring record with over eight minutes to play. He finished with 46.
∎ Yet it was not Wagler who burned Purdue when it mattered. The Illini snapped off four 3-pointers in short order – none from the day’s star. Illinois’ 18-of-38 day behind the arc proved too much to overcome.
∎ Purdue knew keeping Illinois off the offensive boards would be crucial. Didn’t mean they could do much about it, apparently. Illinois’ 13-3 edge in offensive boards and 18-2 advantage on second-chance points loomed huge.
What Purdue basketball's loss vs Illinois means
Preseason expectations can go awry. No one, for instance, expected 20-0 Nebraska to sit alone in first place in the Big Ten prior to Saturday’s tipoff.
However, expectations for Purdue, Illinois, Michigan and Michigan State have so far unfolded more or less as expected. For months, the Boilermakers knew this scheduled granted them a potential advantage in pursuit of a third Big Ten championship in four years.
All three of those opponents must come to Mackey Arena for their lone game against Purdue.
Only a potential advantage, though, because elite teams can win anywhere. Illinois proved that in the first installment of that quirk Saturday.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Illinois vs Purdue basketball score today, Braden Smith, Keaton Wagler stats
