Preview: Purdue at Illinois

[January 21, 2015]  SportsDirect Inc.
 
 Preview: Purdue at Illinois
 
 Halftime deficits have proven to be a minor obstacle lately for Purdue, which used its latest second-half rally to get its first in Big Ten road win in over a year. The Boilermakers, who eye their second win in Illinois in as many years on Wednesday, used a game-tying 3-pointer from Kendall Stephens to force overtime over the weekend before pulling out an 84-77 win at Penn State. The victory ended a nine-game conference road skid that started after Purdue defeated the Illini on Jan. 15, 2014.

The Boilermakers, who have yet to hold a halftime lead in league play, have trailed at the break in four of their five conference games, but have overcome deficits of 11 (Minnesota), eight (Michigan) and nine (Penn State) to collect victories. The Illini have endured their own set of challenges in Big Ten action, opening league play with four of their first five on the road while also losing top scorer Rayvonte Rice (17.2 points) for approximately six weeks with a hand injury prior to their Jan. 7 upset of then-No. 9 Maryland. However, Illinois has only one win in three tries since that victory after falling at home to Indiana 80-74 on Sunday.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT PURDUE (11-7, 3-2 Big Ten): Stephens (team-high 11.6 points) is one of six players averaging at least 8.8 points and ranks eighth in the conference in 3-point accuracy (42.9 percent). Junior A.J. Hammons (conference-best 2.5 blocks) continues to see the bulk of minutes at center despite coming off the bench behind freshman Isaac Haas and erupted for 21 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks on Saturday. Jon Octeus (8.8 points) has scored at least 10 points in seven straight games after posting only one double-digit scoring effort over the first month of the season following his transfer from Colorado State.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (12-7, 2-4): Sophomore guard Kendrick Nunn (10.4 points) has not only caught coach John Groce's eye for his offense - averaging 17 points during Rice's four-game absence - but also his ability to come back from offseason leg surgery. Over his last two contests, the Chicago native has totaled 49 points on 17-of-26 from the field and 10-of-17 beyond the arc. "He's one of those players I think is really improving. He basically had no offseason with the injury and (is) coming back from the knee; he's obviously hitting his stride," Groce told the Lafayette Journal & Courier.

TIP-INS

1. Stephens, whose 48 3-pointers ranks second in the Big Ten, is responsible for 45.8 percent of his team's 105 triples.

2. Illinois C Nnanna Egwu has 174 career blocks, three shy of matching Deon Thomas (1991-94) for the school record.

3. Eleven of Hammons' 12 career double-doubles have come during conference play.

PREDICTION: Illinois 69, Purdue 67

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