ILLINOIS (6-15, 1-9 B1G) at Purdue (14-11, 5-9 B1G)
Date | Time	Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 | 6 p.m. CT
Location	Mackey Arena | West Lafayette, Ind.
Watch	B1G+
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Listen
Live Stats	Statbroadcast
Printable Notes	Illinois
Purdue	PurdueSports.com
Shop	Online Store
Social Media	@IlliniWBB  | #Illini | @IlliniWBB  | Facebook | YouTube

PREVIEW

Opening Tip
The Fighting Illini face their penultimate road test of the 2021-22 regular season on Thursday, traveling to West Lafayette, Ind., for rematch against Purdue. 
» Tipoff between the Fighting Illini (6-15, 1-9 B1G) and the Boilermakers (14-11, 5-9 B1G) is set for 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT at Mackey Arena. 
» The game will be streamed live on B1G+.
» Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (1400 AM / 93.9 FM). 
» Streaming audio and live stats are also available at FightingIllini.com. 

About the Illini
Illinois enters Thursday's game at Purdue with an overall record of 6-15 (1-9 B1G), and will be looking to snap a seven-game skid overall and earn the team's first road win of the year. 
» The Illini but have struggled away from State Farm Center, going 0-8, including a pair of neutral-site losses as part of the Daytona Beach Invitational in November. 
» Offensively, the Illini have opened the season with an improved scoring average from last season. Through 21 games, the Illini are averaging 65.0 points per game, an improvement of more than five points per game over last year's season average of 59.6 ppg. 
» Illinois enter Thursday's game Penn State with a 5-1 mark in games in which the Illini offense scores at least 70 points. 
» Leading scorer, sophomore G Aaliyah Nye, is averaging 12.29 ppg, an improvement of nearly four points per game from her freshman campaign (8.1 ppg). Nye enters the week ranked 20th in the B1G in scoring.  
» Junior G De'Myla Brown ranks just behind Nye and is just shy of a double-figures scoring average at 9.1 points per game. 
» Behind Nye and Brown, the Illini's offensive attack has been balanced with seven other players tallying at least one double-digit scoring game, and four others, Adalia McKenzie (8.9), Jada Peebles (7.1), Kendall Bostic (6.8), and Jayla Oden (6.4) entering action vs. Purdue averaging better than 6.0 ppg.  
» Sophomore F Kendall Bostic is the top rebounder in the Big Ten Conference and enters play this week ranked 10th nationally at 11.71 rebounds per game.   Bostic has recorded five double-doubles on the year. 

About Purdue
Purdue enters Thursday's game with an overall record of 14-11 (5-9 B1G), and is coming off of a 54-52 road loss at Wisconsin on Sunday (Feb. 13). 
» The Boilermakers were an impressive 9-2 in non-conference play, including a 66-61 neutral-site victory over No. 17/22 Florida State in the St. Pete Showcase. 
» In Big Ten Purdue is 6-6 overall, but have gone 2-5 since the first meeting with the Illini. 
» Purdue is 9-5 at home this season, including a 3-4 mark vs. Big Ten foes at Mackey Arena. 
» Purdue is led by sophomore G Madison Layden who averages 12.0 ppg. Layden is one of four Boilermakers to average double-figures scoring along with sophomore, junior G Abbey Ellis (11.1), senior G Brooke Moore (10.0), and sophomore C Ra Shaya Kyle (11.0 ppg), who has not played since Dec. 5 due to a leg injury. 
» Junior G Jeanae Terry ranks as the Boilermakers' top rebounder, pulling down 6.5 boards per game. 
» Head coach Katie Gearlds, a Purdue ('07) alumna, is in her first season at the helm of the program after previously serving as the head coach for eight seasons at NAIA institution, Marian (IN).

Series vs. Purdue
Thursday's matchup vs. Purdue marks the 83rd in the series between the Illini and the Boilermakers dating back to the 1974-75 season.  
» Thursday's game will make this series the longest in Illinois program history, moving one game ahead of the series between the Illini and Northwestern (82 games to date).  
» Illinois trails in the all-time series, 19-63. The Illini are 5-33  in games played in West Lafayette, 13-25 in Champaign, and 1-5 mark in neutral-site contests.
» The Illini and Boilermakers split two regular-season matchups last season, each winning at home. 
» Purdue claimed the first matchup this season, winning 89-67 on Jan. 20 at State Farm Center. 
» Illinois' last win in West Lafayette came on Feb. 21 2015 (47-46). Since then, Purdue has won five consecutive home games in the series. 

Up Next
The Fighting Illini play their penultimate home game of the regular season on Sunday, hosting Northwestern at State Farm Center 
» Tipoff between the Illini and the Wildcats is set for 4 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network. 
» Northwestern (14-9, 6-6 B1G) plays at Indiana on Thursday. 
» The matchup will be the first of the season between the programs, and is a rescheduled date for the game originally set for Jan. 13. 

Follow The Illini
For more Fighting Illini women's basketball news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniWBB on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.

FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)