WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Keaton Wagler scored a career-high 46 points, making nine 3-pointers, as No. 11 Illinois defeated No. 4 Purdue 88-82 on Saturday.
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.
Wagler had 24 of the Illini’s 39 first-half points, including the first 14.
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 fracture bone in his right hand.
The Illini hit 18 of 38 3-pointers while Purdue was 7-of-19.
