The women's Illinois basketball team secured a big conference win at Mackey Arena on Sunday, beating the Purdue Boilermakers by a score of 83-73.
This was a statement game of sorts for Shauna Green and Co., as they began their trek through the thick part of their schedule. The win over the now 8-5 Boilermakers helped to extend the Illini's current win streak to 10 games, and also elevated them to first in the Big Ten with a 2-0 conference record.
Illinois' game against Purdue was a rather tumultuous one, to say the least. Even though the Illini did end up winning by double digits, there were still parts of this game that left fans shaking in their seats. But what are some of the biggest key takeaways that we can pull from Sunday's contest?
1. The Illini showed great resilience in the face of adversity
The question that was on everyone's mind heading into this game was: can Illinois respond well against better competition? After playing a cupcake schedule consisting of teams like Le Moyne and Bellarmine, could the Illini continue the same dominance that we saw through their first 12 games?
Illinois did show that they could dominate through stretches of this game, but it was their second quarter that really had people on the edge of their seats. After taking a commanding 10-point lead in the first frame, the Illini saw that lead dwindle to two by halftime.
Thankfully, the team answered in a big way in the third quarter. They came out of the tunnel ready for a fight, outscoring the Boilermakers 27-15, and didn't look back in the fourth. The Illini showed that even though a team may smack them in the mouth early, they can still answer like a boxer in a heavyweight bout.
2. Purdue's Kendall Puryear put on a show in the paint
Prior to this game, I thought that the Boilermakers were going to rely heavily on their guards on the offensive side of the ball. I thought that Tara Daye, Kiki Smith, and Hila Karsh would be called upon to do most of the heavy lifting for the black and gold.
Kendall Puryear is having a day in the paint for Purdue. I certainly overlooked her. That’s on me. #Illini
— Kellen “KellDawg” Sherman (@KShermanSports) December 28, 2025
I was sorely mistaken! Kendall Puryear, who is a 6-foot-3 sophomore out of Lee's Summit, Missouri, had herself a game at Mackey Arena. In 20 minutes of play, Puryear recorded 20 points and one rebound on an astounding 90% shooting from the field.
Puryear, who was averaging only 6.3 points per game heading into this contest, absolutely erupted from inside the paint. Cearah Parchment and Berry Wallace did all they could to help defend her, but this was just one of those days where you have to tip your cap and show your respect.
3. Purdue's three-point shooting certainly lost them the game
Purdue, which ranked No. 36 in the country in three-point shooting, has been deadly from deep. They were converting on 36.3% of their shots from long range, with senior guard Madison Layden-Zay leading the squad at 42.4% from three-point range.
The Boilermakers' problem, however, was that they ran into a buzz saw known as the Illini. They ran into an Illinois squad that's been allowing opponents to shoot only 26.7% from beyond the arc, and that kept Purdue from getting anything going from deep.
Illinois only allowed the Boilmakers to make three of their fourteen threes (21%), and it caused Katie Gearld's squad to be off their game. They made Purdue change up their game plan in the middle of the game, and Illinois was able to take advantage of it.