Purdue Outlasts FSU In ACC/Big 10 Challenge
It was a great effort from Florida State in this one, going toe-to-toe with a great Purdue team, but it just wasn't enough in this one as Zach Edey proved to be a little too much for this inexperienced Seminoles team. The first half was as back and forth as it gets, as the lead was never larger than 5, featured 7 total lead changes, and Purdue went into the break up just 2, 34-32.
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Darin Green Jr and Matthew Cleveland did a phenomenal job keeping FSU in the game, they just needed a little more help and never seemed to get it. It didn't help that Caleb Mills dealt with two quick first half fouls and played just 4 first half minutes.
The second half was more in control by Purdue. FSU took a lead quick into the half, and it was tied at the first media timeout of the second half, yet slowly but surely, Purdue started to pull away. A dunk by Zach Edey six minutes into the half put them up 48-47 and started a 9-0 run over the next 2 1/2 minutes. FSU got the lead back down to 3 with a little over 7 minutes left, but was outscored 12-4 over the next 6 minutes, and that put the game well out of reach. FSU could just never get enough buckets down the stretch. At the end, Purdue would win 79-69.
Zach Edey was the biggest difference maker in this game, as he dominated down low with 25 points and 8 rebounds (just 3 offensively, all in the first half). He especially took advantage when Naheem McLeod would check out and Cameron Corhen would check in. I like Corhen a lot, but he simply doesn't have the size to go up against 7'4", 290 pound Edey, and it showed in this game. His impact was bigger than the box score, as FSU didn't have a dunk until he was taken out in the final minute of the game.
Braden Smith actually led the Boilermakers in rebounds at just 6'0", which I thought made the biggest difference in the game. He flirted with a triple double, adding in 13 points and 7 assists, though he did miss just his second free throw of the year. Fletcher Loyer was the only other Boilermaker in double figures, as he finished with 11 points, but it took him 12 shots to get there. For the most part, he struggled.
Darin Green Jr was phenomenal in this game, especially in the first half, where he scored 16 of his 23 total points. He would add 2 steals and 2 blocks as well, but he did a great job creating offense against a dynamic Purdue defense. I think this game lost the momentum they needed, though, when he missed both of his free throws with a little over 10 minutes left. It would've ended Purdue's 9-0 scoring run a little sooner and given some life back in the offense.
Matthew Cleveland had his best game of the season, both on paper and with the eye test, with 20 points on just 12 shots (including 3/3 from the FT line), while also adding 6 rebounds. The game got away from FSU when they subbed him out of the game in that run in the second half, and it was good to see him play at this level. Hopefully we can see more of it going forward.
Although it won't show up in the box score, Naheem McLeod gave Edey all he could handle down low when he had the right positioning. There would be times where he would favor to one side too much in the post and Edey would get a good turn inside. He may have only had 2 points, but there's a reason he was tied for a team high +5.
Caleb Mills had 10 points and Cam'Ron Fletcher had 9 points and 10 rebounds, but there was just 7 total points outside of those guys. Someone needs to step up in this next game against Virginia to give them another fighting chance.
Florida State falls to 1-8, and the road gets tougher as ACC play starts with a game at #3 Virginia on Saturday. FSU knows how to beat Virginia's defense as well as anyone, so it'll be interesting to see how they perform after coming up just short in this one.
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