Illini basketball notches their 20th win of the season in epic fashion, riding a 13-1 closing run to take down Purdue 88-80 (their first win over the Boilers since 2021). Mike Carpenter reacts after attending the game at a raucous State Farm Center. For 30+ minutes, Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn got what they wanted offensively. But, Brad Underwood's team kept plugging away, got crucial stops, and started making shots. Will Riley drops 22, Tre White adds 20, Kylan Boswell with another 15, and Kasparas Jakucionis - despite an up-and-down night - nails a dagger three late in the game. Next up: the Big Ten Tournament.