Game 11: No. 15 Illinois 66, Purdue 58 - Grades & Player of the Game

Player of the Game: Andre Curbelo - Despite outcries from the fans for the freshman guard to be in the starting lineup, Curbelo, and his new neon green Nike Kobe 6 Protro Grinch shoes, stated after this 66-58 win over Purdue Saturday that he likes his role coming off the bench. The Puerto Rico native was a plus-26 in 28 minutes of action against the Boilermakers that included six assists, three turnovers and eight points on just eight shots. The freshman was part of an excellent perimeter defense effort that forced Purdue guards to shoot 4 for 19 from the field.

“He gives us a little bit of a different dimension because the floor opens it and you just can’t trap him,” Underwood said of his freshman guard. “He changes the game and he did it on both ends of the floor today.”

Backcourt

Illinois: C-plus

Purdue: D

Purdue got barely anything effective on the offensive end from its guards and while Adam Miller struggled again to make shots (2 of 6 from 3-point range) and got basically a non-shooting second half from Ayo Dosunmu, the effort on the defensive end and its ability to cause 14 turnovers by the Boilermakers and turn them into 17 points on the other end turned into the rare transition opportunities for the home team.

Frontcourt

Illinois: B-minus

Purdue: C

Kofi Cockburn simply one another traditional big matchup this time against Purdue's Trevion Williams as the Boilermakers center needed 14 shots to get his 14 points and only contributed two offensive rebounds toward Purdue's several perimeter misses. Cockburn posted his seventh double-double in 11 games this season with 14 points and 10 rebounds despite the 7-foot Jamaican native missing all six of his free throw attempts. Giorgi Bezhanishvili contributed three assists and two rebounds off the bench but for the Illini it was the five minutes of hustle plays and offensive firepower by freshman Coleman Hawkins that allowed Illinois to get better than just an average passing grade Saturday. Zach Edey, a 7-foot-4 freshman, added seven points and four rebounds in his 12 minutes off the bench but wasn't able to spell Williams long enough to give Purdue a second offensive post threat.

Bench

Illinois: A

Purdue: B

Underwood made it clear that Curbelo will continue to come off the bench and as long as he can continue to rescue the Illini from early-game slumps and droughts coming out of the halftime break, why not? The eight-man rotation by the Illini worked to perfection Saturday night and Underwood even showcased a lineup in critical stretches were all three freshmen (Curbelo, Hawkins and Miller) were on the floor together.

Purdue got a solid performance from Aaron Wheeler (six points, four rebounds and two assists) in 18 minutes and got 19 total points from its non-starters.

Overall

Illinois: C-plus

Purdue: C

This was another average performance for the Illini but the effort on the defensive end of the floor and its ability to control the paint while Kofi Cockburn was in the game allowed for them to survive free throw malfunctions and a 19-0 Purdue run to end the first half and start the second half. If Purdue had any form of a consistent go-to scoring element to its arsenal, Illinois wouldn't been in serious trouble Saturday night but they don't so the Illini pulled out its third straight Big Ten Conference win.