Illinois can still be the Big Ten’s best team this season. Here’s how

Purdue remains the Big Ten’s top dog — for now.

In a heavyweight fight between top ten teams, it was the No. 1 Boilermakers who took home the victory in their building over the Illini, 83-78.

On the surface, a five-point loss at Mackey Arena is a result nobody should bat an eye at, especially in just the Illini’s third game since Terrence Shannon Jr.’s indefinite suspension. Despite Purdue jumping out to a commanding early lead, Illinois proved it belonged on the big stage and could wind up being a worthy challenger to the reigning Big Ten champions.

There were many opportunities for Purdue to run away with the game — whether that was early in the first half after starting the game on a 20-4 run or midway through the second half after building a lead of up to 21. But the Illini showcased their experience, maturity and resilience in battling back to make things interesting down to the final buzzer.

Marcus Domask — the Illini’s de facto “go-to” guy in the…