Illinois' win over Purdue did more than just extend its win streak to nine while beating the No. 4 team in college basketball. Following their 88-82 victory, the Illini's offense now has the highest rating in the country, according to KenPom.
Illinois has consistently been one of the most efficient offenses in the country, but it is now officially the best in college basketball. The Illini now have an offensive rating of 130.6 on KenPom, a notch higher than Purdue's 129.3.
Purdue previously had the highest offensive rating in the country on KenPom and is now No. 2 behind Illinois.
Illinois' offense was clicking on all cylinders in the win, particularly in the second half. By the end of the game, the Illini shot 48 percent from the floor, including an elite 47 percent from three-point range. The Illini made five of their last six shots in the final five minutes of the game.
Illinois' offense was entirely driven by star freshman Keaton Wagler, who carried the Illini all game. Wagler dropped a career-high 46 points on a hyper-efficient 13-for-17 from the field, including 9-of-11 from downtown.
Wagler has been Illinois' leading scorer all season, but he struggled to adapt in his first game as a full-time point guard without injured teammate Kylan Boswell. He completely flipped that narrative on Saturday, putting the Illini on his back from the jump.
Wagler outdueled veteran Purdue guard Braden Smith, who ended with 27 points and 12 assists. Smith also led a one-man attack for the Boilermakers, with veterans Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer still struggling through brutal slumps. Kaufman-Renn had just 12 points in the loss — his seventh consecutive game with fewer than 15 — while Loyer added just six points and was benched down the stretch.
