Handing Arizona Their First Loss, Can Zach Edey Take Purdue to NCAA Glory

Thanks largely to Zach Edey’s outstanding play, No. 3 Purdue shocked No. 1 Arizona, winning their latest match 92-84. Edey shot 53.3 percent from the field and finished with 22 points, 9 rebounds, and a career-high five assists, almost completing his eighth double-double of the year. Among these was a hook jumper that gave the Boilermakers a 10-point lead in the second half. The 7’4″ center stunned college basketball fans with his incredible performance.

Arizona dropped to 8-1 after suffering its first defeat of the year. Purdue, meanwhile, triumphed in their third straight game following a Dec. 1 overtime setback to Northwestern. This year, the Boilermakers are presently 10-1. And Zach Edey’s powerful presence definitely took pursuers a step above.

Can Zach Edey lift up the Boilermakers?

Zach Edey’s heroics have been the main reason for the Purdue Boilermakers’ success in the current NCAA season. Edey is a crucial player who has made Purdue’s humiliating walk right by exhibiting a monstrous performance this season. He has performed like a trademark. He scores an incredible 22.9 points per game on average.

His average of 10.8 rebounds per game is likewise very good. Edey has proven to be his team’s go-to player by recording a double-double in seven of his 10 games played. Even though he wasn’t there, the 7-foot-4-inch baller’s heroics helped his team win the Maui Invitational.

Without him, the Boilermakers wouldn’t have been able to compete for the NCAA championship in 2023-2024. His season best of 35 points, which he surpassed twice, highlights his pivotal role for his squad. His 35 points are a season-high.

In just 36 minutes, Edey scored 35 points, pulled down seven rebounds, and had two assists in a 92-86 victory against Alabama. Edey scored 35 points for the second time in his past three games, and his 24.8 points per game scoring average for the season is presently the highest in the nation.

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With tremendous stats on his resume and the encouragement he provides to his teammates, he is a definite shot up the success ladder. Zach Edey is not the perfect file player since he still needs to work on endurance and stamina. If he can master them in the meantime, he and the Boilers will be invincible in the NCAA championship campaign.

Edey’s showdown against Arizona

Zach Edey served as the facilitator during a contest in which Purdue’s backcourt showed resilience. As good as Arizona could have guarded the 7-4 national player of the year, they did a decent job. To start, Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd lined up 7-foot Oumar Ballo and 6-foot-7 Keshad Johnson in a frontcourt double-team against Edey.

Arizona only used the double team during practice. They made their debut versus Purdue. But when Edey realized he couldn’t get a shot in himself, he sought a different approach to affect Purdue’s offensive. And they weren’t ready. Except for three games this season, Edey has led the Boilers in scoring.

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The big boy developed into a passing machine, coming up with creative ways to send the ball to his backcourt, where he tallied a career-high five assists. Purdue reaffirmed its status as the top team in the country on Monday with its victory against the top-ranked squad. And given the form of their trump card, they seem favorites to lift the ring.