How to Watch No. 18 Purdue Basketball vs. Illinois in Regular Season Finale

Purdue and Illinois will meet in Champaign in the regular season finale on Friday. TV and radio information, key stats, top players and more.

Purdue Boilermakers forward Camden Heide (23) celebrates a three point shot | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

It's hard to believe, but we've reached the regular season finale in the Big Ten. On Friday night, No. 18 Purdue will travel to Champaign for a showdown with Purdue at State Farm Center. It's the first meeting of the season between the two teams, as well as the final game of the 2024-25 regular season.

Purdue swept the Fighting Illini last year en route to a second straight Big Ten regular season title. Illinois is looking for revenge while Purdue is hoping to end the regular season on a three-game winning streak.

Here's everything you need to know about Friday's clash.

How to watch No. 18 Purdue vs. Illinois

• Who: No. 18 Purdue Boilermakers (21-9, 13-6 in Big Ten) vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (19-11, 11-8 in Big Ten)
• What: Big Ten Conference game/Illinois Senior Day
• When: Friday, March 7 at 8 p.m. ET
• Where: State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill. (15,500)
• TV: FOX
• TV Announcers: Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst).
• Radio: Boilermaker Sports Network — WAZY 96.5 FM (Lafayette/West Lafayette); WKJG 100.9 FM (Fort Wayne); WNDE 1260 AM (Indianapolis); WGBF 1280 (Evansville); Sirius XM Channel 81; View all listings: CLICK HERE
• Radio Announcers: Rob Blackman (play-by-play), Bobby Riddell (analyst), Wes Scott (producer)
• Purdue's 2023-24 season: Purdue finished with an overall record of 34-5, which included a 17-3 mark in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers won the Big Ten regular season championship for a second consecutive season and reached the National Championship Game of the NCAA Tournament.
• Illinois' 2023-24 season: Illinois ended the season with a 29-9 record and a 14-6 mark in Big Ten play. The Fighting Illini finished second in the conference standings and won the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois then made a run to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.
• Purdue coach: Matt Painter, 20th season at Purdue (468-212).
• Illinois coach: Brad Underwood, 8th season at Illinois (162-99).
• Series history: Purdue leads the all-time series vs. Illinois 107-90.

Rankings

• Associated Press: Purdue is ranked No. 18; Illinois is not ranked.
• USA Today Coaches: Purdue is ranked No. 18; Illinois is not ranked.
• KenPom: Purdue is ranked No. 12; Illinois is ranked No. 19.
• NET: Purdue is ranked No. 15; Illinois is ranked No. 17.

Illinois Fighting Illini 2024-25 roster

• Key returnees (2024-25 stats): Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (6.9 ppg, 1.8 rpg); Ty Rodgers (redshirting this season).

• Key departures (2023-24 stats): Terrence Shannon Jr. (23.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.3 apg); Marcus Domask (15.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.9 apg); Coleman Hawkins (12.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg); Quincy Guerrier (9.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg); Dain Dainja (6.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg); Luke Goode (5.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 38.9% 3-pt).

• Key newcomers (2024-25 stats): Kasparas Jakucionis (15.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.8 apg); Tomislav Ivisic (12.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.1 bpg); Will Riley (11.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.2 apg); Kylan Boswell (11.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.2 spg); Tre White (10.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg); Ben Humrichous (8.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg); Morez Johnson Jr. (injured) (7.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg,1.1 bpg); Jake Davis (3.4 ppg, 1.5 rpg).

Purdue Boilermakers 2024-25 roster

• Key returnees (2024-25 stats): Braden Smith (16.3 ppg, 8.7 apg, 4.5 rpg, 2.4 spg); Fletcher Loyer (14.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 48.2% 3-pt); Trey Kaufman-Renn (19.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.3 apg); Myles Colvin (5.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg); Cam Heide (4.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg); Caleb Furst (4.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg).

• Key departures (2023-24 stats): Zach Edey (25.2 ppg, 12.2 rpg); Lance Jones (12.5 ppg); Mason Gillis (6.5 ppg).

• Key Newcomers (2024-25 stats): Gicarri Harris (3.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg); Raleigh Burgess (2.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg); CJ Cox (6.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg); Daniel Jacobsen (injured, out for season).

Meet the coaches

• Brad Underwood, Illinois: Underwood is in his eighth season at Illinois and his 12th year overall. Prior to his arrival at Illinois, Underwood had a three-year stop at Stephen F. Austin (2013-16) and coached one year at Oklahoma State (2016-17). He won the Southland Conference regular season and tournament championships in all three seasons, leading the Lumberjacks to the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive years. Underwood also led Oklahoma State to a 20-13 record and a March Madness appearance. He inherited a rebuilding project when he arrived at Illinois ahead of the 2017-18 season, but has quickly turned the Fighting Illini into one of the top teams in the Big Ten. Illinois has finished in the top-five of the conference standings each of the last four seasons and has won a pair of Big Ten Tournament titles in that span.

• Matt Painter, Purdue: Painter is in his 20th season as the coach of the Boilermakers and is one of the Big Ten's longest-tenured and most successful head coaches. He's led the program to five Big Ten regular season championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles and 15 NCAA Tournament appearances in his first 19 years. Painter is also a five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year. In 2024, Painter led Purdue to its first Final Four appearance since 1980 and first trip to the National Championship Game since 1969. Painter, a Purdue alum, played under legendary coach Gene Keady from 1989-93. He spent one year as the head coach at Southern Illinois (2003-04) before being named associated head coach on Keady's staff in the 2004-05 season.

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