Illinois Basketball: 5 big questions for the Illini against Purdue

2. Who wins the Homestead matchup part 2?

While Illinois matches up against Purdue on Friday night in what is a dual between two of the giants of the college basketball world, there is also a little battle going on inside of the big battle.

The Illini were able to go into the Fort Wayne market and snag one of the top players, Luke Goode, in the state of Indiana. As far as I know, this has not happened in program history. Illinois has not had success plucking players from Fort Wayne.

Purdue also has a talented player out of Fort Wayne in Fletcher Loyer. These two guards aren’t just from the same state and same city, but they are both from Homestead High School.

I want to see who wins the battle between former Homestead teammates. Does Loyer get another on Goode or does Goode finally get one over on Loyer?

Goode and Loyer were teammates on a very talented Homestead team in 2020-21. That season, Loyer averaged 24.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game while Goode put up 19.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per contest.

These two led Homestead to a 25-1 record overall that season. The Spartans advanced to the Regional Semifinals only to fall short to the eventual 4A state champion, Carmel.

Goode and Loyer faced off for the first time post-high school last season when Illinois played Purdue in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers bested the Illini 76-71, so Loyer is 1-0 against Goode. But Goode’s 10 points, three rebounds, one steal, and one block bested Loyer’s night of four points, three assists, and one steal on 0-of-4 shooting.

Friday night is going to be part two of the Homestead matchup. Goode and Loyer are key parts in both of their respective programs, and it is going to be fun to see who wins the second installment of this rivalry.