The 411: #7 Purdue at #25 Illinois

Winners of two in a row because the decline to Wisconsin, No. 7 Purdue takes to the street for just one of its greatest game titles of the season, at Major 10-unbeaten and twenty fifth-ranked Illinois.

Maintain in intellect, rankings will improve correct all-around suggestion-off.

Day: Monday, Jan. 17, 2022

Area: The State Farm Center (Champaign, Sick.)

Time: Midday ET

Television: FOX

Radio: Purdue Radio Network (ninety six.five WAZY regionally)

Notice: Those people attending the sport will will need proof of vaccination or a adverse COVID-19 exam within seventy two several hours to get admission to the State Farm Center.

Agenda | Roster | Stats

• The Boilermakers are now 2nd nationally in offensive performance and helpful area intention percentage, for every KenPom, but have also made marked improvement defensively the past two game titles, however the figures may well not always display it.

• Purdue is fifth nationally in 3-place percentage at just north of 40 %, but the Boilermakers are capturing just below 35 % by 5 Major 10 game titles, with Sasha Stefanovic at only 26.7 % and Isaiah Thompson 1-of-fourteen.

STARTERS

C — fifteen Zach Edey (7-4, 295, So.)

fifteen.4 PPG • seventy one.3% FG • 7.five REB • 1.five BLK

Following lamenting that he failed to engage in with important toughness to begin the Wisconsin sport, Edey’s gotten off to solid begins the past two game titles. His fingers will be total to begin this sport towards the most bodily imposing player he’ll see at the college or university level, Kofi Cockburn.

F — Mason Gillis (six-six, 230, So.)

7.five PPG • 3.4 REB • fifty six.3% FG • fifty five.2% 3-PT • a hundred% FT

Gillis has been superb for Purdue the past a number of game titles, with his power on the glass, with his defensive discipline and with his marksmanship from 3-place array. He and Caleb Furst will be significant help defenders in this just one.

G —23 Jaden Ivey (six-4, 195, So.)

16.3 PPG • 50% FG • 43.six% 3-PT • five. REB • 3.1 AST • 1.3 STL

Ivey’s knack for becoming a large-sport player would be a welcomed sight for Purdue here. Illinois has some definitely great defensive guards, however, who’ll make things tough on him. One of the very best developments of the past two game titles for Purdue has been the sophomore’s defensive development.

G — fifty five Sasha Stefanovic (six-five, 205, Sr.)

eleven.2 PPG • 40% 3-PT • 3.nine AST

Stefanovic hasn’t shot excellent throughout Major 10 engage in, but brings so a great deal benefit outdoors that ingredient. Nevertheless, to be the very best workforce it can be, Purdue wants its shooters discovering their rhythm. He will be a marked person for Illinois defensively.

G —11 Isaiah Thompson (six-1, 160, Jr.)

five.six PPG • forty two.3% 3-PT

Talking of, Thompson is just 1-of-fourteen from 3-place array throughout Major 10 engage in, soon after capturing approximately 50 % a great deal of the season if not. You can find no serious rhyme or cause to it, it doesn’t look, past a mere rut. Purdue does will need more from Thompson and Eric Hunter, however.

ROTATION

C — 50 Trevion Williams (six-10, 255, Sr.)

13.3 PPG • sixty one% FG • eight.six REB • 3. AST

Williams has seemed influenced at times in his career by Cockburn’s dimension all-around the basket, but it will be imperative that he definitely go at the Illini large person at the two finishes of the flooring.

G — 25 Ethan Morton (six-six, 215, So.)

2.eight PPG • 2.4 AST • forty two.nine% 3-PT

With Illinois’ potential to engage in 4 out all-around Cockburn, Morton’s defensive flexibility may well come into engage in at Illinois, in addition to his substantial offensive benefit as a passer.

G — 2 Eric Hunter (six-4, a hundred seventy five, Sr.)

3.3 PPG • 1.7 AST

Hunter may possibly have performed his very best sport of the season towards Nebraska, and if that is a sign of things to come, that would be an superb improvement for the Boilermakers.

G — five Brandon Newman (six-five, 200, So.)

six.five PPG •34.3% 3-PT • eighty five% FT

Following sitting down out the Penn State sport, Newman made a pair of threes towards Nebraska and did some optimistic things at the defensive finish. We are going to see what variety of chance he will get at Illinois.

F — 3 Caleb Furst (six-10, 230, Fr.)

five.7 PPG • 4.eight RPG • fifty six.4% FG • 37.five% 3-PT

The freshman appeared like his early season form towards Nebraska, his 2nd sport back again soon after his bout with COVID. He was lively all-around the rim, really great in help protection and made his only 3-pointer. Yet again, he and Gillis are definitely going to be relied upon to be solid help defenders towards Cockburn.

Freshmen Trey Kaufman-Renn and Brian Waddell will redshirt this season. Waddell will skip most of the season soon after tearing his ACL and Kaufman-Renn is now sidelined up to six months soon after going through foot operation.

Agenda | Roster | Stats

• Illinois is off to a six- begin in Major 10 engage in, but this will be its very first assembly with a ranked conference opponent. Friday night’s rout of Michigan arrived with the Wolverines severely short-handed following their COVID troubles. Star Hunter Dickinson was between these who failed to engage in.

• The Illini are No. 1 in the Major 10 in scoring, averaging 79 details for every sport in conference engage in. (Purdue’s third at seventy six.).

Illinois is 2nd in Major 10 engage in in scoring protection: 62.five.

• Many thanks largely to Cockburn, Illinois is No. 1 nationally in offensive rebounding percentage, at 41 %.

The Illini have outrebounded Major 10 opponents by an common of 16.five, more than double the margin of 2nd-place Purdue (7.2)

• Illinois is No. 21 nationally in defensive performance.

• Illinois has performed the past two months or so without guard Andre Curbelo because of to an undisclosed overall health situation sustained towards Kansas State, but Curbelo has reportedly returned to exercise some and could be in line to return to the flooring in the in the vicinity of term. The Illini would be really unique offensively with the ball-dominant place guard.

STARTERS

C – 21 Kofi Cockburn (7-, 285, Jr.)

21.nine PPG • twelve.3 RPG • 60.2% FG

One of the most bodily imposing and dominant gamers in college or university basketball, Cockburn is a formidable interior scoring existence and a drive on the glass, averaging approximately 4 offensive rebounds for every sport.

F – 3 Jacob Grandison (six-six, 210, Sr.)

eleven.7 PPG • 3.nine RPG • 2.3 APG • forty seven.eight% 3-PT • 1.2 BLK

One of 3 transfers on Brad Underwood’s workforce, Illinois’ swingman of a forward has been red-sizzling from 3-place array this season. That could be a serious situation for Purdue.

G – eleven Alfonso Plummer (six-1, 180, Sr.)

fifteen.nine PPG • 40% 3-PT

The Utah transfer has been an speedy impression player for the Illini, supporting soften the blow from the decline of Ayo Dosunmo.

G – 1 Trent Frazier (six-2, a hundred seventy five, Sr.)

13.2 PPG • 3.2 RPG • 3.4 AST • 37.six% 3-PT

Obtaining Frazier back again for his COVID 12 months was a sport-changer for the Illini. He’s an superb defensive player and shooter who’s revealed he can choose in excess of game titles. He’s averaging 17 a sport in excess of the past eight.

G – 20 Da’Monte Williams (six-3, 215, Sr.)

4.3 PPG • five.3 RPG • 3. AST • 37.1% 3-PT

A different superb perimeter defender back again for his pandemic 12 months, Williams has been just one of the Major Ten’s top glue fellas. He’s made himself into a definitely great shooter, way too.

Important RESERVES

F – 33 Coleman Hawkins (six-10, 215, So.)

7.3 PPG • five.4 RPG

The 4 man’s height and duration and power must be accounted for all-around the basket.

C – 4 Omar Payne (six-10, 240, Jr.)

1.nine PPG • 2. RPG • fifty five.six% FG

The Florida transfer backs up Cockburn. He’s an athlete.

G – 10 Luke Goode (six-7, 200, Fr.)

2.3 PPG • 1.eight RPG • 40% 3-PT

The freshman from Fort Wayne — a great buddy of Purdue freshman Caleb Furst — is a really great shooter with excellent dimension.

Stay dialed in to GoldandBlack.com throughout the sport for our pre-sport Very first Ideas investigation. During the sport, adhere to together with our sport thread and adhere to @brianneubert on Twitter for additional perception.

Following the sport, we will have write-up-sport press conference online video, sport protection, investigation, our Wrap Online video and Closing Ideas, as well as a Gold and Black Radio podcast within a handful of several hours of the finish of the sport.

Stay tuned.

This Is going to be Purdue’s toughest Major 10 sport to date, but a likelihood for the Boilermakers to redeem by themselves for their early stumbles. Issues have modified for Purdue because the Wisconsin sport, probably building up a profitable form of efficiency in a sport like this.

The Boilermakers are trending very well defensively, and that is been their greatest situation throughout past Major 10 struggles.

Purdue’s matchup with Kofi Cockburn will draw the most attention, but Jaden Ivey’s the essential in this just one.

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