The win makes Purdue head coach Scott Hinkel the only coach in the Boilermakers' 96-year history to post a winning dual mark in his first three seasons at the helm, improving his career mark to 33-25-1. It also matches the longest streak of consecutive winning seasons in school history, matching the stretch between 1996 and 1999, and gives Purdue its first win over Illinois since 1999. The Old Gold and Black took home seven of the 10 bouts on the evening, including bonus-point victories by juniors Logan Brown and Akif Eren and freshman Cashé Quiroga.
Sixth-ranked junior Luke Manuel opened the match in solid fashion, grinding out a 5-3 win over 13th-ranked Illinois sophomore Jordan Blanton at 174 pounds. Manuel hit the same takedown twice in the first period to build his lead and displayed his outstanding defensive stance the rest of the way to take home his 36th victory of the season. His win total is the best in NCAA Division I this season and is now tied for ninth in Purdue's single-season record books with Hinkel's senior year in 1987.
The Fighting Illini responded at 184 pounds as second-ranked senior John Dergo used solid defense for a 14-4 major decision over Purdue senior Nick Corpe. Four of Dergo's takedowns in the match came off of Corpe's shots as he managed to stuff the shot and work behind for takedowns and a 4-3 advantage in the team score.
The Boilermakers came roaring back through the remainder of the top end of the lineup as Brown, ranked 15th in the country at 197, and junior classmate David Pisarcik rolled out back-to-back wins at 197 and 285 to give Purdue an 11-3 lead. Brown put on a takedown clinic at 197, rolling out six two-pointers en route to a 20-4 technical fall in 6:35 over Illini senior Jake Norman. Pisarcik followed with his first match of the year at 285 pounds, posting an 8-4 win over Illinois sophomore Marty Smith.
The Purdue run continued at the top of the lineup as Quiroga, tabbed 19th in the nation at 125, and Eren notched major decisions at 125 and 133 pounds, respectively. Quiroga burst on to the Boilermakers' single-season takedown leaderboard, racking up six two-point maneuvers in a 14-4 major decision over Illinois junior John Deneen. Quiroga leads Purdue with 99 takedowns this season, good for 16th in single-season history for the Boilermakers. Eren posted a dominating performance in his 12-2 win over Illini freshman Daryl Thomas, nearly pinning him twice en route to bonus points. Eren hit a monster throw en route to the five point play in the first period to build his lead and turned Thomas for three more backs in the second, missing the pin by seconds as time expired.
No. 14 junior Ryan Prater halted the Boilermakers' run at 141 pounds, scoring an impressive 13-0 major decision over Purdue sophomore Bill Putman to trim the lead to 19-8. The first period was very exciting as the pair went into a 30-to-45 second scramble that went back and forth with Prater eventually emerging with the two points. It was all Illini the rest of the match as Putman fought off the technical fall late.
The bout at 149 was by far the most exciting of the night, going all the way to a second sudden-victory period before Purdue senior Nick Bertucci came away with a thrilling 6-4 victory over No. 19 sophomore Eric Terrazas. The two traded takedowns and escapes through the first period en route to a 3-3 score, and each scored an escape to start the second and third frames to end regulation at 4-4. Neither wrestler could score in the first overtime, and both rode their opponent for a full 30 seconds through the tie-break period, forcing another minute period on their feet. Terrazas pulled the trigger midway through the second overtime, snatching one of Bertucci's leg, but in a replay of Bertucci's first-period takedown, the Boilermaker senior locked his hands through the legs of Terrazas, shifted his hips through, stepped over Terrazas' trail leg and worked through for two and his second straight Big Ten Dual win.
With the team score in hand, Purdue junior Colton Salazar added to the Boilermakers' lead at 157 pounds with a 10-4 decision over senior Clint Arlis. Salazar picked Arlis' ankle twice in the first period, hit a nice single-leg takedown in the second and scored a fourth takedown in the third for his 27th win of the season and fourth straight in conference action. The Fighting Illini closed out the dual with a narrow win as freshman Conrad Polz needed a riding-time point to outlast Boilermaker senior Jason Martin, 4-3.
Purdue heads into postseason action their next time out, traveling to Ann Arbor, Mich., for the Big Ten Championships on Saturday and Sunday, March 6-7.
Results:
174: #6 Luke Manuel (PU) def. #13 Jordan Blanton (UI), D 5-3 (3-0)
184: #2 John Dergo (UI) def. Nick Corpe (PU), MD 14-4 (3-4)
197: #15 Logan Brown (PU) def. Jake Norman (UI), TF 20-4 (6:35) (8-4)
285: David Pisarcik (PU) def. Marty Smith (UI), D 8-4 (11-4)
125: Cashé Quiroga (PU) def. John Deneen (UI), MD 14-4 (15-4)
133: Akif Eren (PU) def. Daryl Thomas (UI), MD 12-2 (19-4)
141: #14 Ryan Prater (UI) def. Bill Putman (PU), MD 13-0 (19-8)
149: Nick Bertucci (PU) def. #19 Eric Terrazas (UI), SV2 6-4 (22-8)
157: Colton Salazar (PU) def. Clint Arlis (UI), D 10-4 (25-8)
165: Conrad Polz (UI) def. Jason Martin (PU), D 4-3 (25-11)
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