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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After suffering an 83-80 loss in double overtime to Valparaiso on Friday, Purdue is still searching for its first win of the season. It’s not going to be easy on Monday when Illinois State rolls into town.
Purdue sits at 0-2 after the opening week of the college basketball season. The Boilers have suffered losses to Gonzaga and Valpo. They desperately need to get into the win column to boost their confidence. Illinois State would love to add another loss to Purdue’s record.
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Illinois State will challenge Purdue in several ways on Monday night. This won’t be an easy contest for Matt Painter and his team. What do we know about the Redbirds? A few things stand out ahead of Monday’s clash.
ISU head coach Ryan Pedon talks with his players as they battle Bradley. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Familiarity with Purdue
Illinois State has two coaches on its staff who have a strong understanding of what Matt Painter likes to run on both ends of the floor. The obvious one is assistant coach Ethan Morton, who played for the Boilermakers from 2020-24 and was part of the program’s first Final Four run in over 40 years.
Morton is just three seasons removed from playing under Painter and Co. and understands exactly how Purdue operates. That’s a major scouting advantage for the Redbirds.
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Additionally, head coach Ryan Pedon spent plenty of time in the Big Ten before becoming a head coach at Illinois State in 2022. He worked at Illinois from 2013 until 2015 as an assistant coach and was also an assistant at Ohio State from 2017 through 2022.
Plethora of experience
What makes Illinois State such a dangerous team is its experience. This is a roster with eight players who have at least three years of college basketball experience, and many of them are the team’s top contributors.
It’s a tough matchup for Purdue, because although the Boilermakers do have multiple third-year guys on the roster, many of them are still learning new roles. Most have…
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Publish date : 2026-11-08 12:00:00
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