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GAME NOTES: Hoping to extend their current winning streak to nine games, the fourth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers play host to the Illinois Fighting Illini in a Big Ten Conference clash this afternoon.

Illinois currently sits in the upper half of the Big Ten standings, coming in at 9-4 in conference and 17-9 overall. The Illini have been idle since last Sunday when they dropped a 72-53 decision at home to Ohio State. It was only the second loss in 14 home games for UI, which will play three games at home and three on the road to close out the regular season.

Purdue has won eight straight to improve to 22-3 on the year and 10-3 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers, who are just a half game up on Ohio State, which they beat on Wednesday night (60-57), currently sit a half game behind first- place Michigan State in the conference standings.

Purdue is 12-1 at home this season, while Illinois is 5-2 in true road games.

The Boilermakers beat the Illini, 84-78, in the first meeting this season in Champaign, and they have won five of the last eight meetings overall to take a 90-84 advantage in the all-time series.

Illinois failed to put even one player in double figures in last Sunday's blowout loss to Ohio State, as Demetri McCamey came closest with his nine points on 4-of-12 shooting from the floor. The Illini connected on only 34.3 percent of its field goal attempts, which included a horrendous 4-of-24 showing from three-point range. A paltry 3-of-6 effort from the foul line also hurt, as did the fact that the Buckeyes nailed 53.1 percent of their total shots, including 11-of-22 three-point tries. McCamey leads Illlinois in both scoring (15.6 ppg) and assists (169) this season, and he is 49.1 percent from the field. Mike Tisdale checks in with a solid line of 11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while D.J. Richardson (10.8 ppg) and Mike Davis (10.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg) round out the double-digit scorers for the Illini, who are averaging 72.9 ppg while allowing 66.8 ppg. The team is hitting 46.2 percent of its total shots and is on the positive end of margins in both rebounding (+2.7) and turnovers (+0.8).

JaJuan Johnson scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help power Purdue past Ohio State on Wednesday night. Johnson hit 11-of-17 shots from his center position, and he got help from E'Twaun Moore and Keaton Grant with 15 and 13 points, respectively. The team as a whole hit 50 percent of its field goal attempts while holding the Buckeyes to 41.7 percent. The Boilermakers won the game despite suffering 17 turnovers and being outscored 13-7 from the free-throw line. A 24-18 edge in points in the paint, and a 13-0 advantage in bench points helped PU's cause. Moore (17.2 ppg), Hummell (15.6 ppg) and Johnson (15.2 ppg) are all averaging double digits in scoring for the season, with the latter two heading the team's rebounding effort with 7.0 rpg apiece. Purdue is scoring 73.9 ppg while permitting 61.1 ppg, and the Boilermakers have done an exceptional job in forcing turnovers as their opponents have committed 112 more than they have this year.

The Illini are a good team, having a good season. Unfortunately for them, the Boilermakers are a great team enjoying an exceptional campaign. The Illini are sure to put up a fight today, but McCamey and company will wind up on the short end of yet another tough decision.