Meet The Opponent: Zach Edey-Less Purdue Has Changed, But Not Radically

Indiana heads to Mackey Arena on Friday to meet archrival Purdue.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) smiles Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, during the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Let’s get this obvious point out of the way first: Purdue’s dunks are way down this season.

If there was going to be one impeachable truth about the Boilermakers in the post-Zach Edey era? It’s that the rim was not going to be rattled anywhere near as much as it was when the 7-foot-4 Edey patrolled the paint. Edey had 113 dunks in 2024 – more than some entire teams, including Indiana, who goes to Mackey Arena for an 8 p.m. contest on Friday.

The analytical website barttorvik.com tracks such things. The site tracks shot location, and dunks are included as part of close 2s. Far 2s and 3-pointers also are tracked.

As a percentage of its field goal attempts, No. 10 Purdue has naturally changed a little bit without Edey, but not radically.

Close 2s are not as big a part of the offense, but they haven’t disappeared. Purdue close 2s percentage is 29.6% - a tribute to the improvement that Trey Kaufman-Renn has made in his junior season. Purdue’s far 2s are close to the same as they were in 2024 – 31.6% in 2024, 32.1% in 2025.

Purdue does take more 3-point shots – 38% this season as opposed to 34.5% in 2024. And according to Kenpom.com, Purdue distribution of scoring from 3-point shots is up to 31.3% from 29.7% in 2024.

Fletcher Loyer (46.7%), C.J. Cox (41.7%), Braden Smith (38.8%), Cam Heide (34.1%), Myles Colvin (31.4%) and Gicarri Harris (26.2%) all attempt more than two 3s per game, and with their percentages, it’s an often lethal combination.

Purdue hasn’t sacrificed its 2-point distribution – it’s actually higher at 49.6% from 49.3% in 2024 – but where the Edey effect is felt is in free throws. Purdue relies on 19% of its scoring from the line as opposed to 21% in 2024.

None of these numbers are radically different. A testament to the talent amassed and the system that Purdue runs.

Here's a further breakdown of the Purdue Boilermakers.

Key players

Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) shoots a free throw during the second half agains the Michigan Wolverines at Mackey Arena. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

• F Trey Kaufman-Renn: 18.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.5 apg.
• G Braden Smith: 15.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 8.9 apg.
• G Fletcher Loyer: 14 ppg, 2.2 rpg.
• G C.J. Cox: 6.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg.
• G Myles Colvin: 5.5 ppg, 2.7 rpg.
• F Caleb Furst: 4.9 ppg, 3 rpg.
• F Camden Heide: 4.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg.
• G Gicarri Harris: 3.5 ppg.
• F Raleigh Burgess: 2.6 ppg.

2024-25 Schedule (16-5, 8-2)

• W, 90-73, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Nov. 4.
• W, 72-50, Northern Kentucky, Nov. 8.
• W, 92-84, Yale, Nov. 11.
• W, 87-78, Alabama, Nov. 15.
• L, 76-58, at Marquette, Nov. 19.
• W, 80-45, Marshall, Nov. 23.
• W, 71-61, North Carolina State, Nov. 28 – Rady Children’s Invitational, San Diego.
• W, 80-78, Ole Miss, Nov. 29 – Rady Children’s Invitational, San Diego.
• L, 81-70, at Penn State, Dec. 5.
• W, 83-78, Maryland, Dec. 8.
• L, 70-66, Texas A&M, Dec. 14 – Indianapolis.
• L, 87-69, Auburn, Dec. 21 – Birmingham, Ala.
• W, 83-64, Toledo, Dec. 29.
• W, 81-61, at Minnesota, Jan. 2.
• W, 79-61, Northwestern, Jan. 5.
• W, 68-50, at Rutgers, Jan. 9.
• W, 104-68, Nebraska, Jan. 12.
• W, 69-58, at Washington, Jan. 15.
• W, 65-58, at Oregon, Jan. 18.
• L, 73-70, Ohio State, Jan. 21.
• W, 91-64, Michigan, Jan. 24.

Series history

• Purdue leads 127-92. Purdue swept the 2024 season series. Indiana swept the 2023 season series.

Head coach: Matt Painter

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter talks to Purdue Boilermakers forward Caleb Furst (1) Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, during the NCAA men's basketball game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue Boilermakers won 104-68. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Matt Painter is in his 20th season at Purdue. He has a record of 463-208 with the Boilermakers. He coached Southern Illinois for one season in 2003-04, leading the Salukis to the Missouri Valley Conference championship. His career record in 21 seasons is 488-213.

Painter was an assistant and head coach-to-be under Gene Keady for one season in 2004-05. Before he took the head coaching job at Southern Illinois, Painter was an assistant at SIU from 1998-2003. His previous assistant coaching spots were Eastern Illinois (1995-98), Barton (1994-95) and Washington & Jefferson (1993-94). Painter played at Purdue from 1989-93.

Strengths

Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) asks for a play to be reviewed Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, during the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. Ohio State Buckeyes won 73-70. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It clearly starts with the man running the show – point guard Smith. His savvy court sense and mostly mistake-free decision-making is the well-spring for all that Purdue does well. In addition to his 15.4 points per game, Smith has an 8.9-to-2.8 turnover ratio.

Kaufman-Renn has blossomed in 2025 as he is converting 60% of his 2-point shots for a team-leading 18.1 points per game. Loyer continues to improve beyond the arc as his 46.7% 3-point shooting is his best in three seasons.

Purdue’s depth in the backcourt is a big strength. Cox, Colvin or Harris can lift the Boilermakers on a given night. Heide is listed as a forward, but plays like a guard with most of his shots coming from 3-point range. Indiana’s defense, not great against any caliber of opponent, will be challenged immensely by the Boilermakers’ shooters.

Purdue will force turnovers. Opponents average 15.1 per game – best in the Big Ten.

Weaknesses

Apart from the obvious absence of Edey, Purdue doesn’t have the athletic presence and defensive disruption that Lance Jones brought to the table in 2024.

Purdue doesn’t get to the line much. In Big Ten games, they rank 16th with 18.1 attempts per game. The loss of Edey also meant rim protection is way down. The Boilermakers average 1.8 blocks in Big Ten games, last in the league.

Season and game outlook

For Purdue, apart from being a game against an in-state archrival, they must win to keep pace with unbeaten Michigan State in the Big Ten race. The Boilermakers are 1 ½ games behind. Purdue also needs to keep their momentum going in terms of their NCAA Tournament seed. Joe Lunardi moved Purdue to a 2-seed in his latest bracketology.

For Indiana, the Hoosiers just need to play better and with more consistency. Even if Indiana loses, an expected outcome on the road against a team of Purdue’s caliber, the performance itself needs to show progress is being made. A moral victory, yes, but better than the alternative.

Indiana needs to demonstrate more emotion, too. This is a rivalry game. It will be interesting to see how this Indiana group – with six active players who have never played against Purdue before – responds in an important game for Indiana fans.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• BIG TEN GRADES: Todd Golden assesses the Big Ten teams at the halfway mark. CLICK HERE.

• JACK'S TAKE: Low morale is a concern for Indiana going forward. CLICK HERE.

• IU AT MACKEY, PART 1: The first of a three-part series on Indiana’s history playing on the home court of arch-rival Purdue. Mackey Arena highs and lows through the years. CLICK HERE

• IU AT MACKEY, PART 2: Bob Knight and Gene Keady's twice-annual battles defined two decades of the rivalry. CLICK HERE.