John Groce had his first crack at a Big Ten game, and an extensive losing streak to Purdue, as the head coach of Illinois on Wednesday night at Mackey Arena.
The result was a similar concoction as previous years, with Illinois (13-2) squandering its Big Ten opener, losing 68-61 to Purdue (7-6). The win marks the eighth straight game the Illini have lost to Purdue.
The deciding play of the game served almost as a microcosm of Illinois’ struggles throughout the contest. Down 63-61 with 21 seconds left in the game, Purdue guard Jacob Lawson missed the first of two free throws. On the second free throw attempt, Lawson clanged another one, but Purdue guard D.J. Byrd glided into the paint, outmuscled Illinois forward Sam McLaurin’s initial box out and dove for the loose rebound, calling timeout before falling out of bounds.
Byrd’s gutsy hustle was rewarded with a successful layup off the ensuing inbounds play while getting fouled, sealing the game with a free throw to make it 66-61.
Rebounding, a concern entering the season and one that has manifested into a severe weakness recently, continued to present problems for Illinois. Purdue grabbed seven more rebounds and Illinois surrendered 12 debilitating offensive rebounds that Purdue capitalized on often.
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Illinois’ defensive fortitude was absent for long stretches of the game, too. Purdue, which ranks 191st in the nation in points per game and 225th in the nation in field goal percentage, scored 37 points in the second half and finished the game shooting 41 percent from the field.
A furious comeback in the final minutes of the second half was needed to even bring Illinois into striking range. Brandon Paul hit a 3-pointer with 1:47 to cut the deficit to 58-61, followed by a D.J. Richardson 3-pointer that brought the game to 61-63. But Byrd’s crucial offensive rebound squashed the Illini surge as they suffered its second loss of the season.
Paul finished with 15 points, while Joseph Bertrand contributed 14 off the bench. Illinois will face No. 8 Ohio State at Assembly Hall on Saturday.
Thomas can be reached at [email protected].
