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Illinois Basketball: 4 big questions for the Illini against Purdue

By Rees Woodcock

Jan 11, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Trent Frazier (1) dribbles the ball against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Trent Frazier (1) dribbles the ball against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Illinois basketball
Nov 9, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Alfonso Plummer (11) celebrates his team’s 71-47 win over Jackson State at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

The Illinois basketball team welcomes in the Purdue Boilermakers on a rare midday Monday showdown.

This is a ranked matchup as the No. 25 ranked Illini try to get the best of No. 7 Purdue for the fourth-straight time. That is right, a player like Kofi Cockburn has never lost to the Boilermakers, and I want that record to remain perfect.

Illinois isn’t clicking right now, though. Yes, we continue to win, but the Illini offense hasn’t looked great. We beat Michigan by 15 points and played a below-average game. Hopefully, that is corrected, and Purdue feels the wrath of a hungery Illini program.

Here are four big questions for the Illinois basketball team against Purdue.

1. Who will win the three-point battle?

Despite recent three-point shooting struggles, Illinois finds themselves in the top echelon of three-point shooting programs in the country.

As of today, the Illini are shooting 38.3% from three-point range, which ranks No. 16 in the country. This has actually been a slight drop from the past couple of weeks of sub-par shooting from deep. Unlike most games this season, though, the Orange and Blue are going up against an even better three-point shooting team on Monday.

The Boilermakers have some sharpshooters from the three-point arc. They are hitting their deep shots at a clip of 40.1%, which ranks No. 5 in the nation. That is a great number and quality shooting Illinois hasn’t gone up against yet this season.

Sasha Stefanovic is the biggest culprit of the great Purdue three-point shooting. He is taking the most three-pointers on the team and has made them at a clip of 40%. But Jaden Ivey has formed a nice one-two punch for the Boilermakers.

Ivey is taking the second-most three-pointers on the team and is converting 43.6% of his shots from deep. These two are going to be a nightmare to handle on Monday.

I am going to keep an eye out to see who will win the three-point battle. This might be the determining factor of who wins the game. Illinois hasn’t been shooting well lately, but they are due for a big game. This should be a great clash of two talented three-point shooting programs.

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