- No. 3-ranked Purdue improved to 27-3 overall and 16-3 in the Big Ten Conference with a 77-71 win over No. 12-ranked Illinois in Champaign.
- The win enabled Purdue to win the outright Big Ten regular-season championship for the second straight year. Purdue became the first Big Ten program since Ohio State in 2005-06 and 2006-07 to win back-to-back outright titles.
- A win on Sunday over Wisconsin will give Purdue a three-game cushion in the final Big Ten standings for the second straight season.
- Purdue is now 7-0 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25, with all of the opponents being ranked in the top 12 at the time of the game. Since the 2021-22 season, Purdue is 16-5 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25, easily the best winning percentage in the country (.762; Arizona is second at 14-7 -- .667).
- Since the start of last year, Purdue is 14-6 in Big Ten road games – the only team above .500 in the Big Ten in road games. Purdue has gone 7-3 on the road in both seasons.
- Purdue's 7-3 road record is the second-best road record among high-major programs in the country (North Carolina; 7-2).
- The win was Purdue's 58th in Big Ten play since the 2020-21 season, this year's current seniors freshman campaign. The 58 wins in league play are a school record and now just one off the Big Ten record (Indiana twice – 1978, 1979).
- Illinois was held under 75 points for the first time since Jan. 27.
- The win was Purdue's nation-leading 11th quad-1 win and 24th in the first three quads.
- Purdue's 16 Big Ten wins are now tied for the most in Purdue history.
- Purdue has now trailed by six or more points in 10 games this year. Purdue is 8-2 in those games.
- Purdue's 27 wins are tied for the most in a regular season in school history (1987-88).
- Purdue's 56 wins since the start of last season are the third-most victories in a two-year span in school history. The school record is 58 (2021-22, 2022-23).
- Purdue went 8-of-10 from long distance in the second half, after going 1-of-6 in the opening half.
- Braden Smith became Purdue's single-season assists record holder, now with 212 assists on the season. He passed Bruce Parkinson (1974-75) with 207 assists.
- Smith had 13 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals – his 11th straight game scoring in double-figures. Smith hit a 3-pointer with 19 seconds left to put the game away.
- Zach Edey scored 28 points with 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks – his 81st straight game scoring in double-figures.
- Edey moved into ninth place on the Purdue single-season scoring list (724 points).
- Edey now needs 66 points to pass Rick Mount (2,323) to become the school's all-time leading scorer. Edey has 2,257 career points.
- Edey moved into fourth place on the school's single-season rebounds list (350), and now needs three rebounds for 1,200 in his career.
- Fletcher Loyer tallied 16 points, five assists and three rebounds – his second straight double-figure scoring game. In the last two games, Loyer is 6-of-9 from 3-point range, averaging 15.5 points and 4.0 assists per game.
- Mason Gillis tallied 10 points, six rebounds and four assists. Purdue is now 40-4 during his career when he makes two or more 3-pointers.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Zach Edey had 28 points and eight rebounds as No. 3 Purdue rallied in the second half to beat No. 12 Illinois 77-71 on Tuesday night, becoming the first team in 17 years to win consecutive outright Big Ten regular-season championships.
Fletcher Loyer added 16 points for the Boilermakers (27-3, 16-3), who had already clinched at least a share of their second straight conference title with Saturday night's victory over Michigan State.
The previous Big Ten team to win back-to-back outright regular-season crowns was Ohio State in 2006 and 2007.
Braden Smith had 13 points and six assists for Purdue, which improved to 7-0 against ranked opponents this season. Mason Gillis scored 10 off the bench.
Loyer hit a 3-pointer with 3:08 left that put Purdue ahead for good, 67-66.
Marcus Domask led second-place Illinois (22-8, 13-6) with 20 points. Coleman Hawkins had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Quincy Guerrier scored 12 for the Fighting Illini, and Terrence Shannon Jr. had 11 points on 3-for-13 shooting - including 0 of 4 from 3-point range.
Edey scored 18 points in the first half, shooting 9 of 13 from the field, but the Illini led 40-34 at halftime. Purdue didn't take its first lead until Gillis' 3-pointer with 10:11 left put the Boilermakers in front 56-54.