Purdue's dreadful performance vs. Illinois produced lowest point total since the 1940s for Boilermakers

Purdue may have sent college basketball back 70 years on Sunday night. An ugly loss to Illinois got even uglier when comparing the Boilermakers’ offensive output to years past.

Illinois defeated Purdue 63-37 in a lopsided game in Champaign. That’s right, in 40 minutes of basketball, the Boilers managed to score just 37 points, less than a point per minute in game action. According to Alan Karpick of Gold and Black Illustrated, that was the worst offensive game from Purdue since the 1940s.

With 37 points at Illinois, #Purdue endured the lowest scoring by a Boilermaker team since a 42-33 loss to Loyola on 1/3/49. It was the low in a Big Ten game since a 46-36 loss to Michigan (at home) on 2/23/48. Worst scoring effort on road since a 41-33 loss in Iowa 2/7/48.

— Alan Karpick (@AlanKarpick) January 6, 2020

Karpick tweeted out that the 37 point total was the lowest Purdue has had since playing Loyola on Jan. 3, 1949. Purdue lost that game 42-33. It was also the lowest-scoring game for the Boilermakers in a B1G game since Feb. 23, 1948, suffering a 46-36 loss to Michigan.

Purdue finished the game shooting a paltry 25 percent from the floor and made just 3-of-17 three-point attempts in the contest. No Boilermakers reached double figures in the loss.

Illinois guard Alan Griffin led the way with 16 points. The Fighting Illini also won the rebounding battle 46-34.

With the loss, Purdue dropped to 9-6 on the season and Illinois improved to 10-5 with the victory. Both teams are now 2-2 in B1G play.