Robinson Scores 49; Purdue Wins Big Ten Title

Glenn Robinson, the nation’s scoring leader, had a career-high 49 points as No. 6-ranked Purdue beat Illinois, 87-77, Sunday to win its first Big Ten title since 1988.

Purdue (26-4, 14-4) finished one game ahead of Michigan, which dropped out of a first-place tie with Saturday’s overtime loss to Northwestern. The victory also snapped a six-game losing streak to Illinois (17-10, 10-8).

Robinson, averaging 30.3 points a game for the season, had nine during a two-minute flurry late in the first half and 11 straight in another run in the second half after the Illini came within two points. His 49 points bettered his previous career best of 42 against Wisconsin last year and were the most by a Purdue player since Rick Mount’s school-record 61 against Iowa in 1970.