They got the start they wanted, but not the ending they needed.

Illinois basketball (19-12, 9-9 Big Ten) ambushed Purdue at their home court Saturday in the final regular season game of the year, jumping out to a 15-2 first half lead. It was a refreshing start for an Illini team that has had its share of slow ones this season, and the 14,000 fans at Mackey Arena were growing restless.

By the time Rayvonte Rice threw a vicious alley-oop midway through the first half, Illini fans were feeling good about their chances to come out on top in what was likely a NCAA tournament play-in game.

But when Illinois’ lead grew to 26-13, the Boilers (20-11, 12-6) finally did what they’ve prided themselves on for years: buckled down on defense and gave the Illini a fight.

You could pinpoint when the tide began to turn. Purdue’s P.J. Thompson decided he wasn’t going to let Illini point guard Jaylon Tate get by so easily. Freshman Thompson hounded Tate every time he attempted to bring the ball up the floor.

Thompson sparked the Purdue comeback by ripping the ball away from Tate under his own basket and immediately converting a lay-up. It was all downhill from there for the Illini, who stumbled to a 63-58 loss in their most critical game of the season.

“P.J. Thompson changed the game,” Illinois head coach John Groce said. “Totally changed the game- changed the energy level in the building, changed the energy level of his teammates. I thought he was the difference in the first half for sure, and in the second half.”

Thompson’s efforts ignited the Mackey Arena crowd, and what had been a dull murmur from the fans in black and gold became a deafening roar that persisted for the rest of the game. Purdue players fed off each other and the crowd, which did not help the Illini team, which was already on its back. The Illini offense began to stall, and Purdue only trailed by five points entering the half.

With the Boilermakers making a comeback, the Illini absolutely needed to head into halftime strong if they had any hope of winning. The Illini did not manage to rally against the Boilermakers. Rapheal Davis hit a jumper on Purdue’s first possession, and went on to score 15 more points in the second half to finish with a 18 team-high. Meanwhile, Illinois’ offensive attack went south, and Purdue used a 24-4 run to bury the Illini for good.

Senior Rice did all he could to help out the team. The Champaign native scorched the nets from the start, and possessed throughout the game although he has never played in an NCAA tournament before. He finished with 25 points from 9-of-16 shooting. Sophomore Malcolm Hill made another significant contribution to the Ilini offense by scoring 15 points. The Illinois bench combined for just four total points.

This game had some similarities to the Illini’s other crucial losses in Oregon, Michigan and Indiana, where they blew double digit leads and forfeited victory. In each of those games, extended scoring droughts doomed the Illini. The difference in the Purdue game was that the collapse came more quickly.

Each of those losses could prove costly to Illinois’ NCAA tournament hopes, each of them made more painful by the big leads the Illini let evaporate. Illinois has a chance to win No. 20 on Thursday in the Big Ten tournament against Michigan. But with Wisconsin looming in the second round, it would take a miracle for the Illini to advance past the quarterfinals in Chicago.

It’s March, so you never know what can happen in college basketball. The tournament bubble is soft this year, and maybe things will break the right way for the Illini when it comes to other bubble teams. But I just don’t think a 20-13 record will be enough to get Illinois anything better than a No. 1 seed in the NIT.

I would love to be optimistic, but when Illinois let its huge lead slip away Saturday, its NCAA tournament dreams might have slipped away as well.

Alex is a junior in AHS.

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