WATCH: Purdue Coach Matt Painter Following 76-71 Win Over Illinois
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — No. 5 Purdue basketball defeated Illinois 76-71 on Sunday at Mackey Arena, finishing the regular season with a 26-5 overall record that included a 15-5 mark in the conference.
The Boilermakers registered 23 points off 15 turnovers by the Fighting Illini, building a 24-point lead with 18:44 still to play in the second half. However, they shot just 7-of-24 from the field after halftime but managed to never trail in the matchup.
After the game, head coach Matt Painter addressed the media to discuss the game and break down what the difference was between the two halves.
"Just being able to generate some layups, getting to the free-throw line, and then having a couple of step-in threes there really built the momentum for that lead,” Purdue head coach Matt Painter said.
Junior guard Brandon Newman started his second consecutive game and led Purdue with 19 points on 5-of-10 shooting. He was 3-of-8 from the 3-point line while adding six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Junior center Zach Edey and freshman guard Braden Smith both scored in double figures as well, recording 17 and 15 points, respectively. The Boilermakers made nine free throws in the final 2:23 to put the game away, finishing 20-of-28 from the line.
"They've got in these situations all year, whether they're up or they're down," Painter said. "They've been a team of runs. And when they get it going, there's nobody better in the country.
"We knew getting that lead at halftime — obviously, you want to make free throws and convert and do a better job than we did — but they made some tough threes and they got back in there."
-----
Related Stories on Purdue Basketball
- Big First Half Helps Purdue Survive Late Scare From Illinois: Purdue built a 24-point lead against Illinois on Sunday at Mackey Arena, but the Boilermakers shot just 7-of-24 from the field in the second half. They managed to fend off a late comeback attempt by the Fighting Illini to hang on for a 76-71 win. CLICK HERE
- Purdue, Illinois Live Blog: No. 5 Purdue basketball held on for a 76-71 win on Sunday inside Mackey Arena to end the regular season. Relive some of the action with the big moments documented in our live blog: CLICK HERE
- Purdue Escapes Wisconsin as Outright Big Ten Champs: After losing four of its last six, Purdue went on the road and earned a narrow 63-61 win over Wisconsin on Thursday night at the Kohl Center. The Boilermakers put the game away by sinking nine free throws in the final four minutes of play. CLICK HERE
- Purdue Remains No. 5 in Latest AP Top 25 Poll: After losing to rival Indiana, Purdue remained at No. 5 in Monday's Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll. CLICK HERE
-----
Keep up to date on everything at BoilermakersCountry.com by liking and following our Facebook page: Purdue Boilermakers on Sports Illustrated/FanNation.
