Illinois State men’s basketball prepares for Big Ten Matchup with Purdue

Image courtesy of Illinois State athletics

NORMAL, Ill. — Illinois State men’s basketball heads to West Lafayette, Indiana, Monday night looking to pick up its second win of the 2026-27 season against Purdue.

After opening the season with an overtime loss to Saint Mary’s on Nov. 2, the Redbirds bounced back with a 100-55 victory over Central State on Thursday. With a strong offensive start and experienced players returning under head coach Ryan Pedon, ISU will look to carry its momentum into a challenging road matchup against the Boilermakers.

A strong bounce back

The Redbirds opened their season with a 90-85 overtime loss to Saint Mary’s. Despite the defeat, senior guard Johnny Kinziger led the way with 30 points, including six made 3-pointers.

Kinziger followed his season-opening performance with 17 points against Central State, bringing his total to 47 points through the first two games. His scoring total ranks tied for ninth in program history for points through the first two games of a season.

ISU also showed its offensive strength against Central State, scoring 100 points in a 45-point victory. The Redbirds will look to maintain that scoring production against a Purdue team that has struggled to start the season.

Illinois State enters Monday’s matchup with a 1-1 record and was picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll.

A familiar core

ISU returns several key contributors from last season’s roster, including senior guard Johnny Kinziger and senior forward Chase Walker.

Kinziger enters the season after reaching the 1,000-point milestone during the 2025-26 campaign. He continues to serve as one of the Redbirds’ primary scoring options, averaging 23.5 points through the first two games.

Walker also returns after earning Missouri Valley Conference First Team honors for the second consecutive season. He reached the 1,000-point milestone during ISU’s National Invitation Tournament quarterfinal matchup against Dayton.

The return of Kinziger and Walker gives the Redbirds two experienced scoring options as they look to compete against a Big Ten opponent on the road.

A Purdue team looking for its first win

Purdue enters Monday’s matchup with an 0-2 record after opening its season with losses to Gonzaga and Valparaiso.

The Boilermakers fell 72-78 to Gonzaga in their season opener before suffering an 83-80 double-overtime loss to Valparaiso on Friday.

Despite the slow start, Purdue has received strong production from freshman center Daniel Jacobsen. Jacobsen is averaging 25 points and 8.5 rebounds through the first two games, including a 28-point, 10-rebound performance against Valparaiso.

Purdue will look to take advantage of its home-court advantage at Mackey Arena, where the Boilermakers have sold out 108 consecutive games dating back to the 2018-19 season.

The matchup also features a familiar face for Purdue fans, as Illinois State assistant coach Ethan Morton returns to Mackey Arena. Morton played for Purdue from 2021-24, appearing in 132 games during his collegiate career.

With Purdue searching for its first win and ISU looking to build on its recent victory, Monday’s matchup presents an opportunity for the Redbirds to earn a notable nonconference win.

Illinois State men’s basketball faces Purdue at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana. The game will be available on FS1.

For all things Redbird Basketball, stay tuned to WZND.com.