Illinois guard Keaton Wagler had a historic performance on Saturday. As No. 11 Illinois matched up against No. 4 Purdue, Wagler erupted for 46 points while shooting 13-of-17 from the floor and 9-of-11 from three.
Keaton Wagler scored the most points EVER by a visitor at Mackey 😱:
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46 PTS
13-17 FG
9-11 3PTWOW. pic.twitter.com/KVAd0B0W0A
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 24, 2026
The spectacular game helped Illinois escape with an 88-82 victory.
Wagler now holds the record for the most points ever scored by a visiting player in Mackey Arena, while also setting the record for the most points ever scored by a player in a road win against an AP top-ten opponent.
Outside shooting was a huge factor for Illinois, who knicked down 18 long-range shots compared to Purdue’s seven.
While the Boilermakers nearly tied the game with less than a minute to play, Wagler scored big points down the stretch to hold on to the victory.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
