Illinois vs. Purdue: Comparing the Nation's Top Two Offenses Ahead of Big Ten Clash

On Saturday afternoon (2 p.m. CT, FOX), West Lafayette will feature what could be a heavyweight battle for the ages, as Illinois is set to meet Purdue in a contest that’ll pit a pair of 7-1 Big Ten teams against one another.

Although it may not be an extremely high-scoring affair (neither unit plays with much pace), it will likely be an efficient one, as this outing is a highly anticipated showcase for the nation’s top two offensive clubs. (Illinois at No. 1 in KenPom and Purdue at No. 2.)

So let’s get straight to it: Which unit has the edge?

Does Illinois or Purdue have the offensive advantage?

Jan 5, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood, right, shakes the hand of Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter after the game at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Purdue's offense

Purdue’s offense is predicated on one thing: two-man action. Lead guard Braden Smith is the best pick-and-roll operator in the country – and the best overall playmaker, hands down. Trey Kaufman-Renn is elite in short-roll situations, while the Boilermakers surround the pair with two sharpshooters in Fletcher Loyer (37.5 percent from long range) and C.J. Cox (38.2 percent from deep). Then, big man Oscar Cluff sticks in the paint, hammering the offensive glass and serving as Purdue's post threat.

Here’s the defensive options for slowing down the Boilers' attack:

1) Hard hedge. (Watch the YouTube clip below to see a hard hedge in action.) That tends to be the go-to option for a lot of defenses, with the sole goal of getting the ball out of Smith’s hands.

Unfortunately, the Boilermakers have Kaufman-Renn, who is brilliant at push shots and floaters in the mid-range, and also a fairly underrated decision-maker from that area (he can hit shooters, cutters, Cluff in the paint, etc.).

2) Switch. That’s a horrible idea for most teams – including Illinois. (No one in orange and blue wants Tomislav Ivisic isolated on Smith.)

3) Drop coverage. Done correctly, this is perhaps the best choice for keeping Smith at bay – and, fortunately for the Illini, it’s their bread and butter.

Like any coverage, there are drawbacks. Notably, the midrange jumper is wide open – a shot Smith is quite comfortable with and hits with relatively high efficiency. Here’s where Illinois has an advantage: Andrej Stojakovic. With no Kylan Boswell (hand injury), the Illini will almost surely stick Stojakovic on Smith.

And few are better at “rearview contests” – as Brad Underwood calls them – than Stojakovic. He excels at fighting over the top of screens, and he can make an opposing guard’s life miserable in that midrange, either sending back the shot or, at the very least, disrupting the rhythm of the shooter despite being behind the play.

REJECTED‼️

Here's another look at Andrej Stojakovic's block to seal No. 14 @IlliniMBB's win over No. 11 Texas Tech 👇 pic.twitter.com/guDn1PTaYj
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 12, 2025

But there’s another issue: gap help. In this drop coverage, Illinois prefers to help on the roll man with a weak-side defender. That means, theoretically, Keaton Wagler helping off on the rolling Kaufman-Renn, leaving Loyer or Cox unattended from deep.

The Illini have survived thus far on their length and positioning to get solid contests – albeit sometimes late. Against Purdue, though, that is a recipe for disaster. We have already seen Nebraska's Pryce Sandfort and Ohio State's Bruce Thornton torch the Illini from deep. Loyer or Cox may be up next. Give either of them even an inch of daylight, and you’re grabbing the ball out of the net.

So what’s the answer? Well, given that Purdue has the No. 2 offense in the country, there really hasn’t been one found yet. Against an offense this dynamic, you have to pick your poison and live with the results. Force Smith into those tough twos, only stunt with the help defender (or send Cluff’s defender if necessary) and pray to the hoops gods.

That said, the Illini’s defensive makeup – specifically Stojakovic on Smith – may allow them to at least have a chance of putting the clamps on the Boilermakers (although no one can truly account for any tricks the offensive mastermind Matt Painter may have up his sleeve).

Illinois' offense

Illinois’ offense is a different – albeit similarly dangerous – animal. Facing squads that switch, the Illini hunt mismatches. Against zones, they chuck up three-pointers until the cows come home. But against a traditional man-to-man, which Purdue plays, Underwood just allows his players to hoop.

A steady diet of ball screens with bigs rolling or popping, one-on-one rim attacks, post-ups and everything in between characterizes the Illini offense in these situations. They have superbly gifted scorers and playmakers. Why put any rules or shackles in place? (That said, mid-range jumpers tend to be a strict no-no.)

In its pick-and-roll coverage, Purdue prefers that previously explained hard hedge, which tends to leave a short roll or the pick-and-pop open – the latter of which UCLA shredded the Boilermakers with on Tuesday. (Bruins big man Tyler Bilodeau hit four threes in the win.)

That could mean Purdue is in trouble against the Illini, who have five shooters on the floor at all times. Kaufman-Renn and Cluff will be pulled out to the perimeter, an uncomfortable area of the floor for both of them.

Tomislav Ivisic, Illinois 7-1 C, 22 y/o
-PnR screener specialist: 30 3PTM on pops, 77% on rolls
-36% on 154 3PTA. Shoots easy ball at 7-1
-Effective mix of strength, footwork touch for low post
-Awesome passer, IQ/quick processing evident
-Translation questions around… pic.twitter.com/aokiYJ8J2e
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) October 3, 2025

In turn, the paint should be fairly wide open. And based on the expected matchups, Illinois has the same key advantage: Stojakovic. The potent slasher will surely draw either Cox or Loyer – neither of whom stands above 6-foot-4. Both are heady defenders, and Cox in particular is a pest on the perimeter, but neither possesses the physical tools to check Stojakovic.

Stojakovic, a 6-foot-7 wing, just went for a season-high 30 points against Maryland, and given that Boswell remains sidelined, the ball is almost surely going to land in Stojakovic’s hands at a rate similar to that of Wednesday night.

Andrej Stojakovic vs Maryland today🔥:

30 PTS | 4-7 3PT | 9 REB pic.twitter.com/LAMh4ZoO1k
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) January 22, 2026

Another unique option – which Illinois prefers when Boswell is healthy – is guard-to-guard ball-screens, with the sole goal being to attack Smith. Get Stojakovic the ball, send whoever Smith is guarding as the screener, and if they switch (unlikely), let Stojakovic iso Smith. If not, Stojakovic has a full head of steam going downhill.

Between the pick-and-pop threat and having no answer for Stojakovic – a conundrum only worsened by the lack of help at the rim due to Illinois’ shooting bigs spreading the floor – the Illini should be set to feast on Saturday.

But there’s always a caveat when facing Purdue. An unmistakable thorn in the side that is impossible to avoid when facing the Boilermakers: Painter. Innovative and highly analytical, Painter is a master of his craft and always ready to throw out something unexpected – and the Illini, by definition, can’t account for that.

As things stand now, though, based purely on the matchups at hand and the schematic styles, Illinois may actually have the upper hand. But between Purdue’s home-floor advantage and a hoops savant on the clipboard, who truly knows what this one has in store? All we hoops junkies can do is sit back, relax and enjoy the show.