Keaton Wagler Scores 46 Points To Lead No. 11 Illinois Past No. 4 Purdue

Keaton Wagler scored a career-high 46 points, making nine 3-pointers, as No. 11 Illinois beat No. 4 Purdue on Saturday, 88-82.

Wagler, a freshman guard, shot 13 for 17 overall, 9 of 11 from 3-point range and 11 of 13 on free throws. David Mirkovic added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Illini (17-3, 8-1 Big Ten).

Braden Smith led the Boilermakers (17-3, 7-2) with 27 points and 12 assists. Trey Kaufman-Renn added 12 points for Purdue, which lost its second consecutive game.

The Illini hit 18 of 38 3-pointers while Purdue was 7 of 19.

Wagler had 24 of the Illini’s 39 first-half points, including the first 14.

Smith’s 3-pointer cut Illinois’ lead to 82-80 with 45 seconds left. Wagler answered with a jumper with 18 seconds left, and after Smith made two from the line to again make it a two-point game, Wagler hit two to make it 86-82 with 9.3 seconds left. Purdue then turned the ball over.

Purdue shot 63% percent in the opening half compared to 43% for Illinois. However, the Illini countered that by hitting 9 of 21 3-pointers while the Boilermakers were 3 of 8 on 3-point shots.

Illinois played without reserve center Jason Jakstys, who was out with an injury. Illini coach Brad Underwood previously announced guard Kyle Boswell, who averages 14.3 points, will be out at least a month with a fractured bone in his right hand.

Next, Illinois hosts Washington on Thursday, and Purdue is at Indiana on Tuesday.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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