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Fletcher Loyer contributed 16 points --
including seven straight in the final four minutes after
Illinois regained a two-point lead -- while Braden Smith added
13 points and six assists and Mason Gillis posted 10 points and
six boards for the Boilermakers (27-3, 16-3).
After going just 1 of 6 from 3-point range in the first half,
Purdue drilled 8 of 10 attempts from long range after halftime
to become the Big Ten's first back-to-back champs since Ohio
State in 2006-07.
Marcus Domask paced Illinois (22-8, 13-6) with 20 points.
Coleman Hawkins recorded 13 points, Quincy Guerrier had 12 and
Terrence Shannon Jr. finished with 11 on 3-of-13 shooting. The
Illini led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but they
shot just 36 percent in the second half and missed all six of
their 3-point tries.
Illinois started hot with all five starters scoring in the first
five minutes to forge an 11-6 lead, but Shannon picked up his
second foul reaching in on Edey at the 11:35 mark and sat for
most of the rest of the first half.
In his absence, Guerrier, Domask and Hawkins took turns filling
it up. Domask attacked the basket for three short shots, then
Guerrier buried his third 3-pointer of the half to give Illinois
a 35-26 mark with four minutes to go.
Illinois carried a 40-34 lead into the break despite Edey's
18-point effort -- usually against just one defender. In the
second half, Illinois started doubling down on Edey, so he
promptly fed Smith and Loyer for 3-pointers.
The Illini dropped that idea and Edey resumed posting up for
scores. When Gillis drilled a 3-pointer in transition with 10:11
to go, Purdue took its first lead at 56-54.
Gillis cashed another 3-pointer to push Purdue's margin to 64-58
with seven minutes to play, but Illinois responded with eight
straight points. That set the stage for Loyer to reel off seven
points in a row -- cashing a 3-pointer, a jumper and two free
throws -- to give Purdue the lead for good.
--Field Level Media
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