Carsen Edwards Scores 40 Points in Win Over Illinois
#BoilerNotes
• Purdue improved to 25-5 overall and 14-3 in the Big Ten with a 93-86 win over Illinois … Purdue’s 25 regular-season wins are the fourth most in a regular season in school history … Purdue has now 14 league games in back-to-back seasons for the fifth time in school history and the first since the 2009-10 and 2010-11 campaigns … Purdue has now won 25 games in seven of Matt Painter‘s 13 years at Purdue, including three straight.
• Purdue tied a school record with seven Big Ten road wins … the Purdue senior class has now won at every Big Ten arena during their careers.
• Purdue is 51-11 in the regular season in the last two years and 28-7 in league play.
• Purdue’s 93 points were the most in a Big Ten game since scoring 107 against Rutgers on Jan. 18, 2016 … Purdue has now won 93 straight games when scoring over 90 points, dating to a Nov. 24, 1987, loss to Iowa State (104-96).
• Purdue’s senior class has now won 99 games, the fourth most for a class in school history and just behind the classes of 2011 (107), 2010 (104) and 1996 (103).
• Purdue is now 35-2 since the start of last season when shooting 48.0 percent or better … Purdue’s 58.3 percent shooting was its highest since shooting 62.0 percent against Michigan on Jan. 25 … Purdue shot 68.0 percent (17-of-25) from 3-point range.
• Purdue’s 11 3-pointers were its most since hitting 11 against Michigan on Jan. 25 … it marked the seventh time in 17 Big Ten games that Purdue has made at least 10 3-pointers.
• Carsen Edwards scored a career-high 40 points, the most for a Purdue player since Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson had 44 against Kansas on March 24, 1994 … the 40 points were the most for a sophomore since Robinson had 42 against Wisconsin on Feb. 13, 1993 … it was the most for a Purdue guard since Rick Mount had a Big Ten-record 61 points against Iowa on Feb, 28, 1970, almost 48 years ago … he was just three points shy of the sophomore single-game scoring record (43), set by Dave Schellhase and Terry Dischinger … his 40 points were the second most for a Big Ten player in a league game in the last 20 years (Illinois’ Brandon Paul — 43 points) … Edwards now shares the Big Ten lead for 20-point games (11) … Edwards surpassed 900 career points in the win and moved into seventh on the Purdue sophomore single-season scoring list (545 points).
• Dakota Mathias scored 18 points for the second straight game and made his 230th career 3-pointer … Mathias also tied a career high with eight rebounds … Purdue is now 42-6 during his craeer when he scores at least 10 points.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) Carsen Edwards scored career-high 40 points and Dakota Mathias added 18 to help No. 9 Purdue outlast Illinois in a 93-86 victory on Thursday night.
The Boilermakers were without their second-leading scorer Vincent Edwards but had no problem scoring.
Purdue shot 58.3 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from beyond the 3-point line. Edwards and Mathias each had four from behind the arc.
There were eight lead changes in the first half, highlighted by two big runs. With just under 10 minutes left Edwards stole the ball and went down for a huge dunk to spark a 17-6 run for the Boilermakers. The Illini responded with a 10-3 run to close out the half trailing 43-38.
Illinois stayed within striking distance the rest of the game, but ultimately Purdue’s size and Edwards scoring were too much. The sophomore scored 25 of his points in the second half, including a monstrous dunk on Trent Frazier with just under seven minutes to play.
The Boilermakers also outrebounded the Illini 33-20.
Leron Black led Illinois with 28 points, notching his fourth-consecutive 20-point game.
BIG PICTURE
Illinois continues to struggle in close games. The Illini have now lost 10 games this season by single digits.
After losing three straight games, Purdue has reestablished itself in the Big Ten with two close victories over Penn State and Illinois. The Boilermakers are one win away from tying the second most victories in school history.
UP NEXT
Purdue will close out the regular season at home against Minnesota on Sunday. The Golden Gophers are led by Jordan Murphy, who is ranked seventh in the Big Ten in scoring at 17.1 points per game.