Evaluating Knecht's, Edey's NBA Upside Following Purdue-Tennessee Sweet 16 Duel

Dalton Knecht and Zach Edey let off a scoring barrage on Sunday, showcasing their promise as NBA talents.

Tennessee guard Dalton Knecht (3) scores on the transition in the second half of the NCAA Tournament / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA

Two of NCAA's most adept scorers took the floor on Sunday afternoon.

A matchup consisting of No. 1-seeded Purdue and Zach Edey versus No. 2-seeded Tennessee and Dalton Knecht.

It didn't fall flat, as both players eclipsed more than 35 points while duking it out down the stretch for a bid to the Elite Eight. The Boilermakers were the one to capture it, defeating the Volunteers 72-66 behind Edey's 40-point, 16-rebound performance. This marked Edey's career-high in scoring, getting to the line 22 times for 14 makes and shooting only 21 field goals en route to his 40 points.

As a senior, the 7-foot-4 Boilermaker is bolstering his NBA draft claim by the contest. He's sustaining and even improving his play further into the tournament, competing against more formidable opponents and facing specialized defenses all while dominating the interior and dropping 20-plus points a night.

Edey will have an opportunity to complement a 3-point adept team in the league, introducing his ability to hang down low and snag rebounds while offering plenty of second chance opportunities in his time on the floor. Against more wiry, athletic bigs will be a challenge he'll have to face defensively. Defending with his speed and reaction time as a 7-foot-4 big is already something his draft stock takes a hit for, and will be an issue he'll have to confront nearly every night in the association.

Offensively, teams strategizing and gravitating toward the rim while Edey is stationed near the interior will be another aspect he'll inevitably face. 1.9 turnovers in his collegiate career, taking care of the ball as he probes for scores in the paint is something that should be taken into consideration. He is not the most secure with the rock in his hands, so securing a steady kick-out pass and being able to recognize impending pressure should be another stepping stone into his introduction in the league.

Above all, Edey should be able to translate his collegiate double-doubles into the professional realm if he is able to retain and bolster his aggressiveness while also limiting his errors.

On the other end, senior standout Volunteer in Knecht had himself a day despite a heart-wrenching loss. Making up well over half of his team's points, the 6-foot-6 senior from Colorado dropped 37 points in the biggest game of his collegiate career, doing so on 14-of-31 from the field and 6-of-12 from 3-point range.

Even in the loss, a valiant effort like Knecht offered showed some validity in his promise as a lottery selection in this June's NBA draft – displaying his ability to take over an essential game and as an overall scorer.

Knecht's game will be one that contributes to the NBA game immediately. A hyperscoring wing with length capable of taking over a game at a moment's notice, Knecht's eight games of 30 or more points this season is a testament of his scoring ability across several defenses. He has an extra gear he's able to kick into, like many great scorers in the league tend to possess.

Knecht's defensive impact isn't one to sway an NBA team to jump up in the draft for by any means, but it's also not an outright deterrent. Overall, Knecht will certainly have his hand in the scoring department when he suits up for an NBA team next season.

Each of these prospects laid it all out on the floor on Sunday. And while one advanced and one went home, their draft stock undoubtedly increased from that Sweet 16 bout.

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