CHAMPAIGN, Ill. − A second-half double-digit lead slipped away yet again. It proved costly in No. 18
Purdue basketball 's 88-80 loss
to Illinois at State Farm Center. The Boilermakers
nearly got a triple-double from junior point guard Braden Smith , who had 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, but Purdue went cold down the stretch just as the Illini heated up. Illinois closed the game on a 16-3 run, helped by some late free throws to put an end to Purdue's mini two-game winning streak.
Purdue basketball turning point
Back-to-back 3s by Tomislav Ivisic and Will Riley capped an early 8-0 Illini run. Purdue's response? A 19-4 run that was sparked by freshman reserve guard Gicarri Harris, whose friendly roll 3 gave Purdue an 18-17 lead followed by Harris' steal and fast break layup. Riley's stepback 3 to beat the first half buzzer pulled Illinois within 42-40, but the Boilermakers were able to push their lead to double digits with 11 minutes to go. A recurring theme during Purdue's four-game losing streak in February was inability to hold on to double-digit leads. Illinois used a 17-3 run to go up 70-66. From there, the two teams traded blows until Kasparas Jakucionis stepped into a 3 with 40 seconds left. Smith's response 3 was off and Illinois sealed the game with two Riley free throws.
Purdue's last triple-double
Joe Barry Carroll's triple-double came at Arizona, where the Wildcats had a 38-game winning streak at the McKale Center. Then Carroll had 16 points, 16 rebounds and 11 blocks in an 80-78 Boilermaker victory.
4 stars
Braden Smith, Purdue: He nearly had a triple-double, possibly solidifying himself as Big Ten Player of the Year.
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue: The redshirt junior center finishes the regular season with back-to-back 29-point games. He also had eight rebounds against the Big Ten's best team on the boards.
Will Riley, Illinois: Riley made all six free throw attempts on his way to a 22-point night. He was a big-time shot maker when the Illini needed one.
Tre White, Illinois: White finished 7 of 9 from the field, scoring 20 points to go with nine rebounds.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
