My text conversation with my brother Wednesday night looked like this:

Me: Painter got ejected!!!!

Matt: You bastard

Me: Ahaha it feels good to win one of these finally.

Finally. See, my brother went to Purdue, and for the entirety of my college career, I’ve had to suffer through the embarrassing defeats and the inevitable mockery that came with them.

It took the better part of four years, but at long last this group of Illinois seniors broke through against Purdue. When asked in the postgame presser how it felt to finally overcome the Boilermakers, senior Tyler Griffey reiterated the classic athlete cliche: It’s just another game, one game at a time.

Sorry, Tyler, but I don’t believe it. This one meant a little bit more to this Illini team, and in their impressive victory, they put together their most complete team performance of the Big Ten season.

Last week’s miraculous comeback upset win over Indiana was, to date, the biggest win of the season and halted a dreadful slide to obscurity. Last Sunday’s victory at Minnesota built on those positives and showed these Illini do have the grit necessary to win ugly (or as many would call it, pull a Wisconsin).

But Wednesday’s victory, despite coming against the most underwhelming Purdue team in years, showed Illinois’ potential when the team put everything together. Here are three reasons why:

1. Offensive balance — Seven Illini scored eight or more points in the win and none of them were leading scorer Brandon Paul. That’s how an offense that’s firing on all cylinders looks. Slashers (Tracy Abrams and Joseph Bertrand) were effectively slashing, shooters (D.J. Richardson and Myke Henry) were converting open looks, big men (Griffey, Nnanna Egwu and Sam McLaurin) were setting hard screens to free guards and hitting the offensive boards with abandon, keeping numerous possessions alive.

Paul was in foul trouble for the majority of the second half and finished the game with just three points, his lowest total of the season. But on this night, Illinois’ offense was better off when their leading scorer wasn’t on the court, as Paul’s offensive night consisted mostly of ill-advised long-range shots. It’s the fifth straight game that a player other than Paul has led the Illini in scoring after Paul led or tied for the lead in scoring in 16 of the team’s first 21 games.

This is not to say that Illinois is a better team without BP3, but the Illini are a more dangerous one when he isn’t the sole focus of the defense’s attention or when he has to create his own shot. The Illini are more effective with Abrams facilitating the offense and Paul and Richardson running off screens, receiving handoffs and balls screens on the wings.

2. Rebounding — The Illini dominated the glass, a somewhat amazing feat given that Purdue had won the rebounding battle easily in the first meeting and Illinois had been outrebounded by 32 boards over its last four games. Postgame, Purdue coach Matt Painter labeled the Illini a team that lives and dies by the 3, but the Illini on Wednesday were most certainly not. Twenty-eight percent shooting from beyond the arc may have spelled defeat on many other nights for Illinois, but not on a night when the Illini collect 20 offensive boards. McLaurin, Egwu, Bertrand and even Griffey(!) were incredibly active on the glass.

3. Speaking of Griffey… — My heartfelt apology and love for the senior is well-documented now (I’m still waiting on a response), but Griffey’s play Wednesday night deserves another mention. Without hitting a single 3 (he was 0-for-5 from beyond the arc), Griffey managed to affect the game as much as he has all year. Rebounding, defense, emotion. It was all on display.

Griffey has now scored in double figures the last three games, all Illinois victories. In the nine Big Ten games leading up to the current win streak, Griffey never reached double digits. He scored only 26 total points in those games, as the Illini went 2-7. See a pattern?

Griffey’s long-range shooting and ability to stretch the defense is critical to this offense. Anytime he contributes as much rebounding and energy plays as he did against Purdue is gravy.

Maybe I should start writing him weekly letters.

Daniel is a senior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @danielmillermc.