Illinois guard Keaton Wagler shot his name up in lights Saturday afternoon, producing a scoring outburst for the ages in No. 11 Illinois’ upset win over No. 4 Purdue.
The freshman entered the contest already earning plaudits for his recent performances, which have seen him climb from relative unknown to prospective first-round talent. On Saturday, he basked in the spotlight at Mackey Arena, delivering one of the greatest scoring displays in recent college basketball history.
The impressive performance, marked by triples galore, is one of several Wagler has authored this season. On Dec. 10, he totaled 39 points and 10 assists in the Illini’s win over Ohio State.
Somehow, he bettered that showing Saturday afternoon. Here’s what you need to know about Wagler, college basketball’s next great star.
Who is Keaton Wagler?
Wagler is an 18-year old freshman guard who plays for Illinois. A Shawnee, Kansas native, Wagler starred at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, emerging as one of the nation’s best shooters. Renowned for his shooting touch from beyond the arc, Wagler found plenty of success on the regional circuit. He was a solid prospect, earning four-star billing from 247Sports and ESPN’s recruiting databases.
Nevertheless, he fielded precious few Power 5 offers. He committed to join Brad Underwood’s side in Sept. 2024 and arrived on campus in the fall, hoping to establish himself as one of Big Ten’s better guards.
He’s made a splash in the months since, enchanting audiences with his deep range and positional size. His unique skillset relative to his age came to a head during the Illini’s win over the Boilermakers on Jan. 24.
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Whose record did Keaton Wagler break?
Wagler enjoyed a wondrous day atop the Mackey Arena hardwood, producing points in bunches against Purdue’s vaunted defense.
Wagler tallied 46 points during the contest, a record total for an away player. He did so on just 17 shots, sinking 13 of his attempts on Saturday afternoon. Nine of those makes came from beyond the arc, the one triple short of the highest single-game total for a freshman in college basketball history.
An ALL-TIMER from Keaton Wagler at Purdue
46 PTS
13-17 FG
9-11 3PT FG
76.5% FGpic.twitter.com/nMjJN1ffWR— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) January 24, 2026
Wagler’s display wasn’t just impressive by Illinois standards. It also constitutes the best scoring performance in a road win over a top-10 opponent in AP Poll history, according to ESPN’s Jeff Borzello.
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Most points by a freshman in a college game
Unsurprisingly, Wagler places highly on the all-time list of single-game scoring performances by a freshman. His 46-point outburst is the joint fourth-best scoring showcase in college basketball history, only bested by Antoine Davis and Trae Young (48) and Malik Monk (47).
Here’s a look at the 12 most prolific scoring displays for a freshman in history.
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent | Year | Points |
| 1 | Antoine Davis | Detroit Mercy | Wright State | 2019 | 48 |
| Trae Young | Oklahoma | Oklahoma State | 2018 | 48 | |
| 3 | Malik Monk | Kentucky | North Carolina | 2016 | 47 |
| 4 | Keaton Wagler | Illinois | Purdue | 2026 | 46 |
| Jalen Pickett | Siena | Quinnipiac | 2019 | 46 | |
| 6 | Rodney Stuckey | Eastern Washington | Northern Arizona | 2006 | 45 |
| 7 | Michael Beasley | Kansas State | Baylor | 2008 | 44 |
| Trae Young | Oklahoma | Baylor | 2018 | 44 | |
| Alex Francis | Bryant | LIU Brooklyn | 2011 | 43 | |
| Ben Simmons | LSU | North Florida | 2015 | 43 | |
| Trae Young | Oklahoma | TCU | 2018 | 43 | |
| Trae Young | Oklahoma | Oregon | 2017 | 43 |
Keaton Wagler season stats
- 15.9 points per game
- 4.0 assists per game
- 5.2 rebounds per game
- 0.7 steals per game
- 0.3 blocks per game
- 1.4 turnovers per game
- 45.2 percent field goal shooting
- 39.4 percent 3-point shooting
- 82.4 percent free throw shooting
Where is Keaton Wagler from?
Wagler is a Kansas native, having been raised in Shawnee, the seventh-most populous municipality in the state.
Keaton Wagler recruiting ranking
Wagler fell outside of the top-100 in most major recruiting databases, placing No. 150 in 247 Sports’ Class of 2025 rankings.
Keaton Wagler draft projection
Wagler’s showcases as of late have made him a darling among draft analysts, with the consensus being that Wagler is a first-round talent in the 2026 draft. He ranked No. 10 overall in Bleacher Report‘s mock draft while placing No. 18 overall in ESPN’s most recent mock.
