Purdue 77, Illinois 71 | Game Wrap | Outright Big Ten Champs

Purdue took every Illinois punch, including a first half deficit, and then it hit back. Again, and again, and again. The final punch landed with 18.3 seconds left when Braden Smith pushed a 74-71 lead to six points with a three-pointer as the shot clock was expiring.

Purdue is your Big Ten outright champions, taking down Illinois on the road 77-71.

But Smith wasn't the only Boiler to knock down a clutch shots. After a half where no Purdue player aside from Zach Edey scored 4 points, multiple players stepped up. It was Smith earlier in the half that gave Purdue its first multi possession lead of the game with another shot clock three with 8:15 to play. Purdue had a 59-55 lead with over eight minutes to play.

Then it was Mason Gillis that gave Purdue its first 6 point lead, dropping a three after a Fletcher Loyer block with 6:57 to play.

But Illinois wouldn't go down without a fight. Coleman Hawkins would get a dunk and back to back Marcus Domask lay ups would tie the game at 64 with 4:15 to play.

But Fletcher Loyer had a 7-0 run of his own and Braden Smith landed the final strike to give Purdue the 77-71 victory.

After a first half that had Purdue hitting just 1 of 6 from three, it's shooting came around in the second half.

Purdue finished 9 of 16 at half after Zach Edey kept Purdue alive in the first half.

Edey led Purdue with 28 points and 8 rebounds.

After no Purdue player finished with more than 4 points in the first half, Loyer finished with 16 points, Smith had 13, and Mason Gillis had 10 off the bench.

In some ways, Purdue's first half went exactly as it needed to. Purdue go the ball to Zach Edey in bunches, only had 5 turnovers, and didn't let Illinois play out in pace.

The only problem is, Illinois was better at Purdue things in the first twenty minutes. Illinois out executed Purdue in the half-court, attacking mismatches, and getting angles on Purdue's shot blocker at the rim.

Marcus Domask had a demonstrative 8 points in the first half despite shooting just 4 of 8 from the floor. His three assists in the first half was the difference in score, as Purdue's defense had to sell out to get the ball out of Domask's hands.

But it was Illinois ability to get on the glass that got them started. Illinois had 12 first hand points in the first half, including the first bucket by Terrance Shannon who missed a tough jumper but was able to grab his own miss and go up with a floater for the first basket of the game. It was one of 8 offensive rebounds for the Fighting Illini.

Quincy Guerrier knocked down three threes for Illinois in the first half and had a team-high 10 points. His shooting was in stark contrast to Purdue, who had just 1 of its 6 attempts go down.

Zach Edey had 18 points in the first half, but didn't get to the line a single time.

Three Boilers had 3 assists, but no other Purdue player had more than 4 points in the first half.

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