WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue men's basketball team wraps up a grueling road stretch on Saturday with a trip west on I-74 to face the 15th-ranked Fighting Illini in Champaign. It marks the third straight road game against a top-15 opponent.
The Boilermakers are coming off a disappointing 81-76 loss to No. 14-ranked Rutgers on Tuesday night. Purdue rallied to take a five-point, second-half lead after trailing by 15 in the first half, but couldn't hold off the Scarlet Knights' hot shooting late in the game. Now the attention turns to the Illini, whose three losses have come by 13 points to No. 2-ranked Baylor, three at No. 12 Missouri and by three to Rutgers.
THE KEY TALKING POINTS
1) Purdue and Illinois have played 191 previous times. The margin in points scored is just 27 points (Purdue - 11,045; Illinois - 11,018).
2) According to KenPom.com, Purdue ranks 315th in experience (1.07 years). Indiana is the next least-experienced team in the Big Ten (1.32). Among Power-6 schools, only North Carolina, Kansas State, LSU, Duke, Kentucky and Auburn are less experienced.
3) In its seven wins, Purdue is shooting 49.5 percent from the field and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.52 (134 / 88). In its four losses, Purdue is shooting just 42.1 percent from the field, has attempted 38 free throws and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.91 (53 / 58).
4) Over the last four games, opponents have made 49-of-124 (.395) of its 3-point attempts, but just 52-of-107 (.486) of its 2-point tries.
5) Two different freshmen (Zach Edey, Mason Gillis) have earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week in the season's first four weeks.
7) In two Big Ten road games, Trevion Williams is averaging 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 17-of-26 (.654) from the field.
8) Purdue has four of the top 13 freshmen scorers in the Big Ten this season (Newman - 3rd; Edey - 4th; Ivey - 9th; Gillis - 13th).
9) Purdue scored 1.19 points / possession in Tuesday's loss to Rutgers. When Purdue scores 1.19 PPP, the Boilermakers are 275-15 all-time.
10) Matt Painter is coaching in his 523rd game at Purdue, tying Ward "Piggy" Lambert for second place on the Purdue games coached list. Purdue has had two head coaches in the last 41 years. Only Duke and Syracuse (1) have had fewer head coaches in the last 40 years.
11) Purdue is 14-5 in his career when Sasha Stefanovic scores at least 10 points. Purdue is 12-4 when Eric Hunter Jr., leads in assists.
12) Purdue is 130-13 under Matt Painter when winning both the turnover and rebound battle, having won nine straight games.
13) Purdue averaged 15.4 turnovers per game during the first seven games. In the last four games, Purdue has averaged just 9.5 turnovers.
14) Purdue has won 102 straight games when scoring at least 90 points, spanning over 33 years (last loss: Nov. 24, 1987, to Iowa State).
The Boilermakers are coming off a disappointing 81-76 loss to No. 14-ranked Rutgers on Tuesday night. Purdue rallied to take a five-point, second-half lead after trailing by 15 in the first half, but couldn't hold off the Scarlet Knights' hot shooting late in the game. Now the attention turns to the Illini, whose three losses have come by 13 points to No. 2-ranked Baylor, three at No. 12 Missouri and by three to Rutgers.
THE KEY TALKING POINTS
1) Purdue and Illinois have played 191 previous times. The margin in points scored is just 27 points (Purdue - 11,045; Illinois - 11,018).
2) According to KenPom.com, Purdue ranks 315th in experience (1.07 years). Indiana is the next least-experienced team in the Big Ten (1.32). Among Power-6 schools, only North Carolina, Kansas State, LSU, Duke, Kentucky and Auburn are less experienced.
3) In its seven wins, Purdue is shooting 49.5 percent from the field and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.52 (134 / 88). In its four losses, Purdue is shooting just 42.1 percent from the field, has attempted 38 free throws and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.91 (53 / 58).
4) Over the last four games, opponents have made 49-of-124 (.395) of its 3-point attempts, but just 52-of-107 (.486) of its 2-point tries.
5) Two different freshmen (Zach Edey, Mason Gillis) have earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week in the season's first four weeks.
7) In two Big Ten road games, Trevion Williams is averaging 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 17-of-26 (.654) from the field.
8) Purdue has four of the top 13 freshmen scorers in the Big Ten this season (Newman - 3rd; Edey - 4th; Ivey - 9th; Gillis - 13th).
9) Purdue scored 1.19 points / possession in Tuesday's loss to Rutgers. When Purdue scores 1.19 PPP, the Boilermakers are 275-15 all-time.
10) Matt Painter is coaching in his 523rd game at Purdue, tying Ward "Piggy" Lambert for second place on the Purdue games coached list. Purdue has had two head coaches in the last 41 years. Only Duke and Syracuse (1) have had fewer head coaches in the last 40 years.
11) Purdue is 14-5 in his career when Sasha Stefanovic scores at least 10 points. Purdue is 12-4 when Eric Hunter Jr., leads in assists.
12) Purdue is 130-13 under Matt Painter when winning both the turnover and rebound battle, having won nine straight games.
13) Purdue averaged 15.4 turnovers per game during the first seven games. In the last four games, Purdue has averaged just 9.5 turnovers.
14) Purdue has won 102 straight games when scoring at least 90 points, spanning over 33 years (last loss: Nov. 24, 1987, to Iowa State).