DETROIT (AP) — They leaned on him. They jawed at him. One time, they slapped him proper throughout the brow. None of it got here near stopping Purdue’s large man, Zach Edey, and now he and the Boilermakers are one win away from the Last 4. The 7-foot-4 Edey withstood all of the abuse Gonzaga may lay on him Friday night time, ending with 27 factors and 14 rebounds to carry Purdue to an 80-68 victory over the Bulldogs.
Purdue 80, Gonzaga 68: Stats
There have been highlights galore within the Midwest Area No. 1 seed’s thirty second victory of the season, together with a 14-point, 15-assist, eight-rebound masterpiece from guard Braden Smith.
No second, although, advised the story higher than on the finish of the primary half when Edey had Gonzaga’s Ben Gregg pinned beneath the basket. Gregg, in a desperation transfer to make a play, flailed on the ball and ended up roundhousing Edey full-on within the brow along with his open hand, choosing up his third foul.
“It didn’t really feel good,” Edey mentioned to a room full of snickers. “Clearly, he was simply attempting to make a play for the ball, simply missed it and whack-a-moled my head just a little bit.”
On Sunday, Purdue, which final yr turned historical past’s second first-round loser as a No. 1 seed, will play the winner of Friday’s later sport between Tennessee and Creighton. A win there would land this system within the Last 4 for the primary time since 1980.
Smith completed two assists shy of becoming a member of Joe Barry Carroll — who performed on Purdue’s final Last 4 squad — as this system’s second participant to document a triple-double. Smith made two of Purdue’s seven 3-pointers within the first half, all of which pressured Gonzaga right into a selection no group needs to make — take away the 3s or sag down on Edey, the nation’s main scorer.
“It’s decide your poison,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few mentioned. “They shot it nice from 3, after which within the second half, we shut down that space fairly good. Then, Edey was only a load.”
As soon as Edey obtained unfastened, foul bother and an ever-shrinking basket ended the hopes for the fifth-seeded Zags.
Graham Ike had 18 factors and 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs, who shot solely 38% over the primary quarter-hour of the second half and fell to 0-3 vs. Edey and the Boilermakers over the previous two seasons.
As Purdue’s lead mushroomed, the sector in Detroit sounded extra like Mackey Area in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Boilermakers, lengthy seen as underachievers when the lights get brilliant in March, have an opportunity to play in April this time.
“We’ve had some expertise within the event,” coach Matt Painter mentioned. “We’ve had disappointment, and I feel any time you’ve gotten that, you admire issues just a little bit extra, and your consideration is element is just a little bit higher.”
Like all Gonzaga large males, Ike spent the night in foul bother; he obtained his fifth and trudged off the courtroom for good with 5:07 left. His second foul got here midway by means of the second half after he and Edey tussled within the paint, then jawed at one another after the ref’s whistle. That didn’t throw Edey off his sport, both.
“I feel he did a superb job tonight of doing that — simply preserve your mouth shut and carry an enormous stick,” Painter mentioned.
Edey made one among two free throws there, however adopted with a pair child hooks as a part of a 10-0 run that made this a 16-point sport.
All par for the course for final season’s AP Participant of the Yr, who just about has a double-double when he will get off the bed within the morning. He recorded his twenty seventh of the season and 66th of his profession on the 14:44 mark of the second half. The tenth rebound got here on the offensive glass and was a part of a five-shot journey down the courtroom that Edey sealed with a jumper within the paint.
Edey completed the night 10 for 15 from the ground and seven for 10 from the road. He drew 9 fouls, seven greater than anybody else on his group. He didn’t have a block however made issues tough on Gonzaga from his low spot in Purdue’s zone — altering no fewer than a half-dozen photographs within the second half.
GOOD COMPANY
Together with his 14 rebounds, Edey joined Elvin Hayes, Rick Barry and Oscar Robertson because the fourth participant in NCAA historical past with a minimum of two seasons of 750 factors and 425 rebounds. Edey is attempting to change into the primary participant since Robertson in 1960 to guide the nation in scoring and attain the Last 4.
GOOD FINISH
Few mentioned the loss couldn’t obscure Gonzaga’s robust end to the season. After fearing they could miss the event altogether, the Zags received 16 of their final 19.
“They doubled down, and so they confirmed their actual character and competed after which obtained even nearer as a substitute of pulling aside,” Few mentioned.
Gonzaga performs near-perfect 2nd half to dispatch Kansas 89-68
