No. 11 Illinois (16-3, 7-1) continues on without senior guard Kylan Boswell, this time, heading to West Lafayette, IN for a highly anticipated top 15 game with No. 4 Purdue (17-2, 7-1). The Illini are currently on their longest winning streak of head coach Brad Underwood’s era in Champaign, at eight games and searching for their ninth consecutive win on Saturday.
As the two winningest programs in the Big Ten over the last seven seasons, Illinois and Purdue have put on shows in plenty of their matchups over the years and this one is primed to be no different, especially at Mackey Arena.
“You got the same capacity as State Farm Center and half the size of the building,” Underwood said about Mackey Arena. “Their fans are great and it’s a tribute to Matt (Painter). Been there 20-plus years and they’re still excited and I mean that in a positive way … He’s created an environment and culture that is one of the best in college basketball.”
Illinois’ consistency matters
The Illini survived their first game this season without Boswell on Wednesday, dominantly defeating the Maryland Terrapins behind a 30-piece from junior wing Andrej Stojaković. Even after a slower start, Illinois didn’t face much trouble even without its starting senior leader. Alongside Stojaković, other Illini, such as freshman forward David Mirković and junior forward Jake Davis, played their offensive and defensive roles to a tee. This is increasingly important in Boswell’s absence.
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Now, the test for Illinois moving forward is staying consistent in that same gameplay, no matter the opponent. That doesn’t mean that Stojaković and Davis need to hit four 3-pointers each for the Illini to come out victorious, but rather no one can take any nights off. Facing a top-five Purdue team is Illinois’ perfect opportunity to prove it has enough firepower outside Boswell to survive its tough Big Ten schedule for the next month.
While Boswell is still a vocal leader on the sidelines, one of his other assets on the court was his consistent performances each night. For Illinois to keep its winning streak going, the rest of the roster needs to emulate that consistency.
Davis is one of the players who stepped up hugely in Illinois’ win over Maryland, earning himself Boswell’s spot in the starting lineup, scoring 12 points and grabbing four rebounds. Davis also played the most minutes in a game since Nov. 14 2025. The junior is solidifying himself as a more reliable three-and-D player than he was last season. He has also stepped into a more vocal leadership role as of late.
“I think it stems from being a good teammate, a good leader, talking to all my teammates and trying to help them out,” Davis said about what’s key to understanding his role. “I’m not the most talented guy in the world, but I have the most talented people in the entire country around me. I try to make them better and do what I can do to get them what they need and everything falls in line and works out for me as well.”
For the Illini to keep rolling, Davis’s ability to continue playing at his best on both ends of the floor, as he has been, is crucial. Especially with Boswell and his top-tier defense on the sidelines, Davis needs to stay dialed in on the defensive end and show off why those defensive improvements he made in the offseason are making all the difference for the Illini right now.
“(Davis) has accepted the role he is going to play and be a contributing factor, so he better guard,” Underwood said. “Last year, it was, let me go in and offensive rebound and defensive rebound and make open shots. This year, it’s like, man, I got to guard. I can’t let my teammates down … He’s just made a world of improvement in all aspects.”
Boilermakers’ versatile offense
Davis and the rest of the Illini will have their work cut out for them on Saturday afternoon, specifically on the defensive, as they face the No. 2 most efficient offense in the country. Similar to Illinois, Purdue doesn’t lack offensive weapons. The combination of a willing distributor running the offense, knocking down 3-point shooters on the perimeter and an efficient front court has led the Boilermakers to staying in the AP poll’s top 10 every week so far.
Purdue’s veterans are the pillars of its offense, and that all starts with senior guard Braden Smith. Smith is a four-year starter for the Boilermakers and has certainly made his mark on the program during his tenure. Smith is considered one of the best scorers and distributors in the Big Ten, making it difficult for opposing teams to completely take him out of games. The senior is currently leading Purdue in points per game and assists this season, with 14.3 and 173, respectively.
Earlier this season, Smith became the Big Ten’s all-time assist leader on Jan. 3, breaking former Michigan State point guard Cassius Winston’s previous record. Smith currently sits at 931 assists for his career and could break the NCAA’s all-time assist record later this year. His willingness to distribute is an asset for Purdue, particularly with its talented 3-point shooters on the perimeter, including senior guard Fletcher Loyer and sophomore guard C.J. Cox, who both shoot over 35%.
“(Smith’s) going to take what the game gives him,” Underwood said. “You’re not the Big Ten’s all-time leading assist guy, and yet, he’s a guy if you don’t guard him, he could have 30. He’s a veteran. He’s savvy … You know, a point guard of his stature elevates everybody else, and there’s no doubt he’s the engine.”
Because the Boilermakers’ offense runs through Smith, limiting him will be a top focus for the Illini going into this matchup. Smith won’t be able to be shut down completely because of his versatility, but slowing him down is key. Most likely, Illinois will continually change up who matches up with Smith, with the primary defenders being Stojaković, freshman guard Keaton Wagler and possibly Davis.
Purdue’s front court, made up of senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn and senior center Oscar Cluff, will also be a challenge for Illinois, as they are aggressive as well as efficient. Kaufman-Renn and Cluff average 12.5 and 11.9 points per game on an efficient 55% and 75.6% from the field, respectively. Defensively, the Illini front court needs to be an active presence at the rim and physical in the paint to compete with Kaufman-Renn and Cluff.
“I think Cluff gives them physicality and great scoring,” Underwood said. “They’re a team that offensively is extremely efficient in twos. They get a lot of layups. They got two bigs down there on the block all the time that are rooting out rebounds and physical. Trey’s been Robin to Batman for a long time, and he’s very, very good. He’s a motored up guy that plays extremely hard.”
What this win means for Illinois, Purdue
At a little over the midseason mark, Illinois and Purdue sit right next to one another in the Big Ten standings, each with a 7-1 conference record. The result of Saturday’s matchup will determine which team moves up in the rankings and which one will stay at the same spot or move down. As the Illini’s conference schedule ramps up here over the next month with Boswell, a win on Saturday will give them more confidence moving forward and extend their winning streak to nine games.
After an upset loss to UCLA earlier this week, Purdue is trying to get back on the winning track against Illinois and stay at the top of the Big Ten. There’s no doubt that the Boilermakers will come out with energy to put the loss behind them with the extra boost from their home crowd.
“I wouldn’t bank on Braden turning the ball over twice at the end of a game, or maybe ever again in the rest of his career,” Underwood said. “ … They didn’t have a great shooting night, but they still really had control of the game. It was in hand to win, and they just didn’t win it. We will get an inspired Purdue team that’s for sure.”
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