Game 19: Purdue vs. #21 Illinois

Date: Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Venue: Mackey Arena (West Lafayette)

TV: ESPNU

Radio: Purdue Radio Network

Purdue Particulars: Roster | Schedule | Statistics

More: Purdue primer and GoldandBlack.com coverage

Illinois Particulars: Roster | Schedule | Statistics

GoldandBlack.com in-game updates: @GoldandBlackcom | @brianneubert

The beat goes on for Purdue, which is unbeaten at home in Big Ten play, winless on the road, now back in Mackey Arena for two pivotal games with Illinois and Wisconsin, starting with the now-ranked Fighting Illini.

It was just two-and-a-half weeks ago that Purdue visited Illinois and bottomed out, getting beat 63-37 and shooting a single-game program worst 25-percent from the floor. It was the fewest points Purdue scored in the modern era. That game was the face of Purdue's well-documented road struggles this season, but so was Saturday's 57-50 loss at No. 17 Maryland, a game in which the Boilermakers trailed 20-4 to start the game before a second-half rally fell short.

Coming off a blowout win over Michigan State in its last home game, Purdue obviously hopes to turn the tables on the Illini this time around.

Quite the schedule quirk: Purdue's first back-end game of a Big Ten double-play comes on Jan. 21.

• The Boilermakers are a game below .500 again in the Big Ten, but get a chance now to take down another potential conference contender. Illinois is currently a game back of Michigan State in the loss column, as is Rutgers.

Beyond that, Purdue needs both quality and quantity in terms of victories for its NCAA Tournament résumé, and this win would be good one, in that sense, though there are no wins for the Boilermakers from here on out that wouldn't be "good."

• The Illinois matchup is one compatible with Purdue playing Trevion Williams and Matt Haarms side-by-side. Expect to see it used extensively.

• Purdue's obviously struggled mightily as a shooting team away from Mackey Arena, but in its two Big Ten home games since conference play resumed in late December, It's made 19-of-47 (40.4 percent) between the double-overtime win over Minnesota and the rout of Michigan State. Sasha Stefanovic is 7-of-14 between those two games and Eric Hunter 5-of-8.

• Trevion Williams has grabbed seven or more rebounds In 14 of Purdue's 18 games this season, and against every high-major (or equivalent) opponent since the Marquette game. He is averaging 14.9 rebounds per 40 minutes.

Rebounding will be critical for Purdue against the Illini, who really hurt Purdue on the offensive glass on their home floor, without one of the Big Ten's best offensive rebounders, Kofi Cockburn, even being part of it.

Illinois Particulars: Roster | Schedule | Statistics

• The Illini are riding a four-game winning streak, starting with the win over Purdue. Their 71-70 road win at Wisconsin was one of the most impressive wins of the conference season, a season in which road wins have been few and far between.

Illinois followed that win by prevailing in a slugfest with Rutgers, then beating Northwestern, both at the State Farm Center.

Amidst the win streak, Illinois has moved into the top 25, No. 21 this week.

• Illinois averages 64 points per game in Big Ten play, 11th in the league — two spots ahead of Purdue (61.9) — but is third in scoring defense, allowing just 60.9 points. The 37-point Purdue showing certainly influences that number considerably with there only having been seven games played.

Opponents are shooting only 38.1 percent vs. Illinois.

• Illinois shoots a league-worst 25.4-percent from three-point range in Big Ten play, but was 7-of-19 vs. Purdue in the first meeting between these two teams.

• Alan Griffin was Illinois' difference-maker against Purdue last game, totaling 16 points and 12 rebounds off the bench and sparking an Illini team that won the loose-balls category decisively.

• Illinois leads the Big Ten in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentages, largely due to Cockburn, the Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year candidate who averages 11.9 points and 8.7 rebounds, and roughly three-and-a-half offensive boards per game.

His massive, physical presence clearly affected Purdue in the first game between these two teams.

• Ayo Dosunmo is Illinois' leading scorer at 14 points per game. Purdue has historically fared well against him defensively, but to do so again, it must keep him out of transition. He can create shots for himself, though, too, in the halfcourt, as he showed on one of the biggest shots of the Big Ten season this year — his dagger of a three at Wisconsin in the final minute.

Illinois is legit good, an NCAA Tournament team with high-end talent and a distinct toughness, and the Big Ten's best road win to this point to its credit. The Illini embarrassed Purdue last time these two teams met. But the Boilermakers are a very different team at home, and at least some of the shots that were missed at a historic rate in Champaign will go down in West Lafayette; Purdue should respond from an effort perspective; and, again, Purdue in Mackey Arena is different than Purdue anywhere else.

GoldandBlack.com Prediction: PURDUE 64, ILLINOIS 60

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