Purdue Boilermakers beat the Illinois Fighting Illini in an intense Big Ten showdown 67-62
The University of Illinois basketball team has lost three in a row. With tournament opportunities approaching soon, knowing the first four seeds get a bye in the Big Ten Tournament in the first found, this was a huge game hosting the Boilermakers of Purdue. Not to mention a huge win-opportunity for Purdue to get a nice one on the road.
Purdue out-scored the Fighting Illini 36-28 in the first half but Illinois slipped by outscoring Purdue in the second half.
Meyers Leonard had only nine points however his twelve rebounds made a huge impact in the game for Illinois. Joseph Bertrand averaged 6.6 going into tonight’s match up and ended up with 12 points. Tracy Abrams led the Illini with 22 points.
With 54 seconds to go Tracy Abrams was able to hit a nice layup to make it a one possession game 64-62 in favor of the Boilermakers.
There was a huge discussion at this point to see if the ball hit the rim with 24.6 seconds left on the clock as Purdue put up a bucket. The shot clock was turned off at seven. The ball clearly did not hit the rim and after about three minutes of discussion and review of the monitors, the call was announced. There would be five seconds put on the shot clock-Purdue ball.
Personally, I think the shot clock should never have been shut off. There was no whistle, and the Boilermakers should have had a shot clock violation. That didn’t happen and it would have been even more intense than it already way.
Five seconds into the play the Illini foul. Not exactly the thing you want to do with 19.1 seconds left on the clock and you’re down two points. Purdue’s Lewis Jackson missed the first, made the second. He had 13 points to tie with D. J. Byrd for second in the points scored for Purdue. Robbie Hummel led with 19.
It was still a one position game. Illini took the ball down the court again and were forced to call a time out with 11.7 left due to Purdue’s pressing defense.
The thing to do in this situation is inbound the ball to the big guy. Meyers Leonard didn’t have a lot of points, mainly defense tonight, but if you were to put the ball in anyone’s hands, you would trust Leonard, or do you go to another solid Brandon Paul, who has an average of 15.2 points per game.
Brandon Paul put up a three point shot-no good. I hate this shot-gun play that ball players make. You have plenty of time on the clock. Why not set up the play, and guarantee yourself two points and hope to draw the foul.
And the ball ends up out of bounds, last touched by Illinois with 5.8 seconds left on the clock, Illini still down by three.
Inbounded by the Boilermakers, Brandon Paul fouls Robbie Hummel, who shoots 81.4 % from the line. Did you not think they were going to inbound it to their best free throw shooter? But what choice did Paul have?
Hummel makes both buckets, ended with 19 points on the game.
Illini falls to the Boilermakers 67-62 in Champaign. Illinois now sits 9th in the Big Ten while Purdue moves over .500 in the conference and sits comfortably at number six.
My biggest concern is the beloved Bruce Weber. What does this mean for his career? It seems all Illinois teams can have great undefeated starts to their season, but when it comes down to the grind, they fold.
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