The 11th-ranked Illini waltzed into Mackey Arena and stole a huge victory over the No. 4 Boilermakers. Here's how they did it.
and took down No. 4 Purdue by a final score of 88-82 to hand the Boilermakers their second straight loss. Here’s exactly how the Illini did it – explained by the numbers:Jan 24, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler dribbles the ball during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn ImagesIt was all of those adjectives – and then some – rolled into one. The freshman guard Wagler went for 46 points on just 17 shots from the field while connecting on nine threes. They came on catch-and-shoots, pull-ups, step-backs, floaters, rim-attacks. It was dealer's choice out there.Wagler scored at all three levels and scored extremely timely buckets, all but single-handedly pushing the Illini to their first win in Mackey Arena since 2020.Jan 24, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic looks to defend Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith during the first half Jan 24, 2026, in West Lafayette, Indiana, at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images As spectacular as Wagler was, Purdue senior guard Braden Smith was nearly as impressive. He went for 27 points on 11-for-16 shooting – mostly drilling unbelievably tough mid-range pull-ups, often over the outstretched arms of 6-foot-7Carving up the Illini defense all night long, Smith wormed his way into the paint and either scored himself, sprayed to shooters or found one of his big men for an open dunk or layup. Smith is, hands down, the best offensive player in the country – and he showed exactly why on Saturday. That said, forward Trey Kaufman-Renn was superb himself, hitting several incredibly difficult floaters, while guard Omer Mayer was also brilliant. Everything that went up, it seemed, was destined to drop for Purdue on Saturday.Jan 24, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Multiple Purdue Boilermakers and Illinois Fighting Illini reach for a rebound during the first half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images In the first half, the Illini stayed in the game for one reason: the offensive glass. Illinois coach Brad Underwood puts aIllinois parlayed 13 offensive boards into 18 second-chance points. Meanwhile, Purdue managed just 19 rebounds in the entire game – including just three offensive boards.Jan 24, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler attempts to drive to the basket as Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith and Purdue Boilermakers center Oscar Cluff defend during the first half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images Although the Illini dominated the boards, the Boilermakers were much more efficient with their possessions. Purdue, led by the safe-handed Smith, coughed up the rock just three total times in the game – a practically unfathomable number. On the flip side, the Boilermakers forced 10 turnovers. That number doesn’t exactly jump off the charts, but considering they flipped that into 20 points, it was a clear difference-maker – one that made up for Purdue’s poor showing on the glass. Jan 24, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Jake Davis shoots a three pointer during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Imageshit a shot fake into a side-step three as time expired on the shot clock. Wagler went 9-for-11 from long range.The Illini get the long ball up at a high clip, but on Saturday, we saw the reason why: Illinois is loaded with gifted shooters across the roster. Last year, Underwood’s club lived and died by the three. This year, the Illini have done a much better job of picking and choosing when to launch. This outing was a perfect example of when letting it fly pays off.Primarily covers Illinois football and basketball, and Kansas basketball, with an emphasis on analysis, features and recruiting. Langendorf, a third-generation University of Illinois alum, has been watching Illini basketball and football for as long as he can remember. An advertising student and journalism devotee, he has been writing for On SI since October 2024. He can be followed and reached on X @jglangendorf.First Look at Illinois Basketball's Game 20 Opponent: Purdue Boilermakers
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