Illinois scouting report

Posted February 15, 2012 5:00 am

Purdue (16-9, 6-6) at

Illinois (16-9, 5-7)

When: Wednesday at Assembly Hall, 7:30 p.m.

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: WIND 560-AM

Skinny: After dropping their third straight conference game — and sixth of their last seven — things are starting to get hot around the collar for Illinois coach Bruce Weber. The best tonic for that would be a victory Wednesday over the Boilermakers, who come into the game off a home victory over Northwestern.

Illinois’ last two victories have been against the teams currently tied for first place in the current Big Ten standings — Ohio State and Michigan State. Illinois dropped its Big Ten road opener at Purdue on New Years Eve, 75-60. The Illini led by 8 points early on and only trailed 26-24 at halftime, but Purdue broke the game open in the second half.

Next: Illinois at Nebraska, 4 p.m., Saturday.