Purdue Is So Much More Than Just Zach Edey
Zach Edey is impossible to ignore and nearly impossible to contain. He'll likely be recognized as the best player in college basketball for a second consecutive season. Time and time again he's put Purdue and defenders on his back. His presence and skill set are so unique that viewers at home cannot help but train their eyes on him at all times. Edey, however, does not do it alone.
Though his intense gravitational pull allows his teammates time and space to operate, the Boilermakers would not be where they are without an underrated and dynamic supporting cast. Sure, Edey continued to be a machine during Purdue's 80-68 Friday night victory over an outmatched Gonzaga side, scoring 27 points and snaring 14 rebounds. But it was the Boilermakers' other weapons that proved too much for the Bulldogs.
Braden Smith dominated the game at point guard, flirting with a triple-double and finishing with 14 points, eight rebounds and 15 assists. Edey may get the headlines but the tenacious Smith is the engine that drives Purdue. Fellow guards Lance Smith and Fletcher Loyer scored 12 and 10 points respectively, and Trey Kaufman-Renn added six points of his own.
Every Boilermakers starter shot at least 50 percent from the field and as a team they finished 32-for-56 (57.1 percent). When Gonzaga helped too much on Edey, Matt Painter's team simply took advantage of clean looks from beyond the arc, converting 9-of-20 attempts.
Purdue has a system and the players stick with it. Opposing teams must pick their poison. Allow Edey to feast down low and hope no one else goes off, or throw the kitchen sink at him and pray his teammates can't knock down shots. Either way, the Boilermakers are going to get to the free throw line and make shots at a high rate.
Friday night was a reminder that is not Zach Edey and company. It's Zach Edey plus company. This a team that is the sum of its parts. Some may be shinier than others but they all work together in high-octane fashion.
Kyle Koster is an editor at The Big Lead.
