Expect Purdue to get small

This is a different Boilermakers team than the one that dismantled the Illini in West Lafayette in 2007. But that doesn’t make them any less dangerous.

Carl Landry and David Teague combined to score 45 points in Purdue’s 64-47 win last season. This year coach Matt Painter is relying largely on freshmen from a top-10 recruiting class. The results have been inconsistent but successful.

Illinois coach Bruce Weber said he suspects that Painter at times will use the small lineup that helped Purdue win at Iowa. The Boilermakers will likely start four guards, but late in the game against the Hawkeyes they went smaller than that.

“At Iowa they just went with five perimeter players late and went with quickness and pressure and made a 12-0 run that helped them get a victory,’’ Weber said. “We have to deal with their quickness and defensive pressure.’’

Purdue is led in scoring by 6-4 sophomore guard Keaton Grant at 11.4 points per game. He is followed by 6-8 freshman Robbie Hummel (10.3), 6-8 freshman Scott Martin (10.1), 6-3 freshman E’Twaun Moore (10.0) and 6-3 sophomore Chris Kramer (7.9) – all perimeter threats.

Along with freshman forward JaJuan Johnson, the first-year players accounted for a class that was rated No. 5 in the country by Scout.com and No. 6 by Rivals.com.

Against Iowa, the Boilermakers started four guards with Hummel and Martin, who are listed as guards/forwards, coming off the bench as 3-point threats.

“Usually they have four perimeter guys,’’ Weber said. “Brian (Randle) can guard anybody and Calvin (Brock) can guard almost anybody. We’re OK with their initial lineup. It’s when they go with five little guys – that’s where they put you in a bind.’’

Weber has gone small at times this season and could feasibly use the group of Mike Davis, Brian Randle, Calvin Brock, Trent Meacham and Demetri McCamey (or Chester Frazier) to defend against a small Purdue lineup.

The game stands as a crossroads for the Illini. Will they build on the solid performance at Indiana and win over Michigan to re-establish themselves in the Big Ten? Or are they destined to inconsistency and rebuilding for next season?

Painter has done a magnificent job of rebuilding at Purdue, recruiting talent that surpassed anything that should have been expected considering the program’s recent woes.

In 2005-06, the Boilermakers were 9-19. The season before – when Illinois played in the Final Four — they were 7-21.

But for the time being, Painter has Purdue ahead of Illinois in an attempt to return to the upper echelon of the Big Ten.