Mackey Arena's comforts were of little help to Purdue Tuesday night, as the Boilermakers were routed after halftime on their way to a 79-62 loss to 21st-ranked Illinois.

Our analysis and Wrap Video from Purdue's first home Big Ten loss since 2018.

Illinois is a lot of things, but its toughness Is certainly one of Its defining characteristics.

Twice, it has exercised that toughness in various forms against Purdue and twice it has won convincingly.

It's physical, as evidenced by decided rebounding advantages in both games, including a 20-8 margin at halftime this time around on Purdue's home floor, and the tangible effect Kofi Cockburn's raw size has had on both these games.