GAMEDAY INFO
Sunday, March 5, 2023 | 12:30 p.m. ET
[5] Purdue (25-5, 14-5) vs. Illinois (20-10, 11-8)
West Lafayette, Ind. | Mackey Arena (14,876)
TELEVISION: FOX | RADIO: Purdue Sports Network
ANNOUNCERS: Jason Benetti, Nick Bahe
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• Purdue closes out the 2022-23 regular-season slate as Illinois visits Mackey Arena on the final day of the regular season. Barring a postseason contest, it will mark the only meeting between the two teams located just 86 miles apart. Purdue is looking for its 15th conference win of the season, while Illinois is mathematically still alive for the No. 2 slot in the Big Ten Tournament.
• With its win over Wisconsin, Purdue locked up its 13th outright Big Ten Championship and league-best 25th title overall. Having won three crowns in the last seven seasons, Purdue is a Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State) tip-in at the buzzer in 2018, and your pick of four buzzer-beating defeats a year ago from having five titles in the last seven years.
• Head coach Matt Painter has now finished in the top three in seven of the last nine seasons. His 11 top-three finishes are the sixth most in Big Ten history, while his four Big Ten titles are tied for the ninth most in league history (sixth since 1950).
• Purdue is one of three teams to rank in the top 20 of both offensive (11th) and defensive (20th) efficiencies (Houston, Alabama).
• Purdue is 54-13 since the start of last season. The 54 wins over a two-year span are already the fifth most in school history and Purdue needs just three wins to tie the record for most wins in a two-year span (57 in 2017, 2018). Iowa is second among Big Ten teams with 45 wins.
• Purdue ranks fourth nationally in Quad-1 victories with nine and is tied with Alabama for the most among teams not in the Big 12. Purdue's 15 Quad-1 and 2 victories are also the third most nationally. The Boilermakers' 12 wins away from Mackey Arena are the most among power-conference squads. Purdue tied a school record with seven Big Ten road victories -- the most in the league this season.
• Purdue has been ranked in the AP top 5 in 15 straight weeks, more than double the longest stretch in school history. Since the start of last year, Purdue has been ranked in the top 5 in 27 weeks, six more weeks than the next-closest team (Gonzaga).
• Purdue owns wins over three teams that won their respective conferences (Hofstra - Colonial; Gonzaga - West Coast; Marquette - Big East).
• Purdue has MADE 452 free throws this season, while opponents have SHOT just 310. Purdue has made 224 more free throws (452 to 228) than its foes this season, the highest discrepancy in the nation (Purdue +224, Portland +184, North Carolina +171, New Mexico +161).
• In Purdue's last six games (3-3), Purdue is shooting just 27.5 percent (33-of-120) from long distance.
• The Boilermakers lead the country in rebound margin (+11.5) and have 13 games this season where it has outrebounded their opponents by 15 or more rebounds -- the most in the country. Over the last three games, Purdue has outrebounded its foes 127 to 74, with 45 offensive rebounds.
• After a three-game stretch from Feb. 4 to Feb. 12, where it averaged 16.3 turnovers per game against Indiana, Iowa and Northwestern, the Boilermakers are averaging just 10.0 turnovers per game over its last four games.
• Purdue is in search of its fourth No. 1 seed in school history, previously earning the No. 1 seed in 1988, 1994 and 1996. In addition, Zach Edey is the leader to earn consensus National Player of the Year accolades. The last time Purdue earned a No. 1 seed, it was led by its last consensus National Player of the Year recipient, Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson. Since 2000, eight players have earned consensus National Player of the Year accolades and led their team to a No. 1 seed, including four times in the last eight years (Williamson, Brunson, Mason, Kaminsky).
• Zach Edey surpassed 750 career rebounds in the win over Ohio State and is the only active junior (or younger) in the country with 1,400 career points and 750 rebounds. He and former No. 1 NBA Draft pick Joe Barry Carroll are the only Purdue players to ever do it.
• Edey and Michigan's Chris Webber (1992-93) are the only Big Ten players in the last 30 years to have at least 600 points, 350 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a season. Only Ohio State's Jerry Lucas (1959-60) has had 700 points and 400 rebounds in a season in Big Ten history. Edey needs 59 points and 21 rebounds to join Lucas on that incredibly inclusive list.
• Loyer and Smith have combined for 650 points. They are on pace to become the second-highest freshman-scoring duo in Purdue history.
Sunday, March 5, 2023 | 12:30 p.m. ET
[5] Purdue (25-5, 14-5) vs. Illinois (20-10, 11-8)
West Lafayette, Ind. | Mackey Arena (14,876)
TELEVISION: FOX | RADIO: Purdue Sports Network
ANNOUNCERS: Jason Benetti, Nick Bahe
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• Purdue closes out the 2022-23 regular-season slate as Illinois visits Mackey Arena on the final day of the regular season. Barring a postseason contest, it will mark the only meeting between the two teams located just 86 miles apart. Purdue is looking for its 15th conference win of the season, while Illinois is mathematically still alive for the No. 2 slot in the Big Ten Tournament.
• With its win over Wisconsin, Purdue locked up its 13th outright Big Ten Championship and league-best 25th title overall. Having won three crowns in the last seven seasons, Purdue is a Keita Bates-Diop (Ohio State) tip-in at the buzzer in 2018, and your pick of four buzzer-beating defeats a year ago from having five titles in the last seven years.
• Head coach Matt Painter has now finished in the top three in seven of the last nine seasons. His 11 top-three finishes are the sixth most in Big Ten history, while his four Big Ten titles are tied for the ninth most in league history (sixth since 1950).
• Purdue is one of three teams to rank in the top 20 of both offensive (11th) and defensive (20th) efficiencies (Houston, Alabama).
• Purdue is 54-13 since the start of last season. The 54 wins over a two-year span are already the fifth most in school history and Purdue needs just three wins to tie the record for most wins in a two-year span (57 in 2017, 2018). Iowa is second among Big Ten teams with 45 wins.
• Purdue ranks fourth nationally in Quad-1 victories with nine and is tied with Alabama for the most among teams not in the Big 12. Purdue's 15 Quad-1 and 2 victories are also the third most nationally. The Boilermakers' 12 wins away from Mackey Arena are the most among power-conference squads. Purdue tied a school record with seven Big Ten road victories -- the most in the league this season.
• Purdue has been ranked in the AP top 5 in 15 straight weeks, more than double the longest stretch in school history. Since the start of last year, Purdue has been ranked in the top 5 in 27 weeks, six more weeks than the next-closest team (Gonzaga).
• Purdue owns wins over three teams that won their respective conferences (Hofstra - Colonial; Gonzaga - West Coast; Marquette - Big East).
• Purdue has MADE 452 free throws this season, while opponents have SHOT just 310. Purdue has made 224 more free throws (452 to 228) than its foes this season, the highest discrepancy in the nation (Purdue +224, Portland +184, North Carolina +171, New Mexico +161).
• In Purdue's last six games (3-3), Purdue is shooting just 27.5 percent (33-of-120) from long distance.
• The Boilermakers lead the country in rebound margin (+11.5) and have 13 games this season where it has outrebounded their opponents by 15 or more rebounds -- the most in the country. Over the last three games, Purdue has outrebounded its foes 127 to 74, with 45 offensive rebounds.
• After a three-game stretch from Feb. 4 to Feb. 12, where it averaged 16.3 turnovers per game against Indiana, Iowa and Northwestern, the Boilermakers are averaging just 10.0 turnovers per game over its last four games.
• Purdue is in search of its fourth No. 1 seed in school history, previously earning the No. 1 seed in 1988, 1994 and 1996. In addition, Zach Edey is the leader to earn consensus National Player of the Year accolades. The last time Purdue earned a No. 1 seed, it was led by its last consensus National Player of the Year recipient, Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson. Since 2000, eight players have earned consensus National Player of the Year accolades and led their team to a No. 1 seed, including four times in the last eight years (Williamson, Brunson, Mason, Kaminsky).
• Zach Edey surpassed 750 career rebounds in the win over Ohio State and is the only active junior (or younger) in the country with 1,400 career points and 750 rebounds. He and former No. 1 NBA Draft pick Joe Barry Carroll are the only Purdue players to ever do it.
• Edey and Michigan's Chris Webber (1992-93) are the only Big Ten players in the last 30 years to have at least 600 points, 350 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a season. Only Ohio State's Jerry Lucas (1959-60) has had 700 points and 400 rebounds in a season in Big Ten history. Edey needs 59 points and 21 rebounds to join Lucas on that incredibly inclusive list.
• Loyer and Smith have combined for 650 points. They are on pace to become the second-highest freshman-scoring duo in Purdue history.