Big Ten Daily (Dec. 10): Zach Edey Dunks on Alabama in Return to Canada

Zach Edey returned to his hometown of Toronto on Saturday, leading Purdue to a 92-86 win over Alabama. The reigning National Player of the Year scored 35 points in his return.

Dustin Schutte | Dec 10, 2023

Big Ten Daily (Dec. 10): Zach Edey Dunks on Alabama in Return to Canada /

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Saturday's game between No. 4 Purdue and Alabama meant a little more to Zach Edey than any other on the schedule. The 7-foot-4 center and reigning National Player of the Year was back in his hometown of Toronto, and put on a memorable show for his friends and family in attendance.

Edey scored 35 points and collected seven rebounds in the Boilermakers' 92-86 win over the Crimson Tide. But the big man didn't do it all himself — getting some serious help from Braden Smith, who scored 27 points and dished out eight assists.

Purdue's win didn't come without some stress. Alabama set the tone early, jumping out to a 30-18 lead in the first 10 minutes of the contest. The Boilers weathered the storm, closing the gap to 49-47 at halftime.

The second half didn't start much better. Alabama scored the first six points out of the break and increased its lead to 58-49 in the first four minutes. Purdue finally took a 62-60 lead at the 11:24 mark, courtesy of a Mason Gillis 3-pointer.

Smith hit some clutch shots down the stretch, creating the separation the Boilermakers needed to get the win.

After the game, Edey spoke with Robbie Hummel about his return to Toronto

"Big time, man. I can't even put it into words. Come home, defend home court. This isn't Purdue's home court, this is my home court, so it means a little more to me," Edey said after the game.

As he walked off the court, he shared a special moment with his mom, Julia.

What a moment 🚂🇨🇦 @EdeyJulia @zach_edey @BoilerBall pic.twitter.com/ez799Lxi2J
— Trevor Peters (@TrevorPeters__) December 9, 2023

Do you think this one meant a little more to the Edey family?

Saturday's game was important for Edey, but it was also significant for Purdue. With the win, the Boilers now have signature victories over Alabama, Marquette, Tennessee and Gonzaga. It's only December, and Matt Painter's squad has arguably the best resumé in the country.

Despite the number of big wins already, Edey said Purdue is nowhere close to reaching its full potential.

"Everywhere — 3-point defense, interior defense, I picked up a few lazy and-ones," Edey said, when asked where the Boilers can improve. "Everyone on the team needs to improve. We're not even close to being a finished product."

Purdue will have another massive test next Saturday, playing No. 1 Arizona in Indianapolis.

Ace Baldwin Jr. Sinks Buckeyes

Forget how he shot the ball for the first 39 minutes, when the game was on the line, Ace Baldwin Jr. came through in the clutch. The Penn State guard hit a clutch triple with 32 seconds remaining, eventually leading the Nittany Lions to a stunning win.

With the game tied at 76-76, Baldwin buried his first 3-pointer of the game to give the Lions a three-point advantage. He had missed his previous four shots from behind the arc and made just three of his first 10 shots in the game.

ACE. BALDWIN. DAGGER. 🗡️ @PennStateMBB took down Ohio State thanks to this clutch shot! pic.twitter.com/t3YMPeiENe
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 10, 2023

Baldwin's shot was the final piece of Penn State overcoming an 18-point deficit in the second half. It was a huge victory for the Nittany Lions, who had dropped their last five games.

"We had it the whole way, right?" Penn State coach Mike Rhoades joked after the game. "A great college game. Just super proud of our guys. After Wednesday's game and the disappointment they had, I thought — when you have a new team, a new coaching staff, everything's new, you just gotta go through everything. And that's what we've absolutely done so far. ...

"If this is how all the Big Ten games go, I'm going to lose my hair pretty quick."

Blake Corum Hosts Holiday Drive

Michigan running back Blake Corum has utilized NIL opportunities to give back to communities during his time in Ann Arbor. This holiday season was no different.

Corum hosted a holiday toy drive on Saturday and couldn't believe the incredible turnout from the community.

“I woke up this morning — every time I have an event I wonder ‘Is it going to be big, are people going to come?’ And the community showed out,” said Corum. “It wasn’t about me, it wasn’t about my teammates, it was about the community coming together for a better purpose, better cause, and they did it for sure.

“It’s all about the bigger purpose. I tell everyone, football is my passion but giving back is my purpose and I mean that from the bottom of my heart,” Corum explained. “The more people I can connect with one-on-one… I want to talk to people, I want to smile, I want to laugh. The event was supposed to start at 11, I got here at 9 and the line was already long.”

Corum has been dynamic for the Wolverines on the field this season. During Michigan' 13-0 campaign, the running back has rushed for 1,028 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Yet it's his work in the community has made an even bigger impact.

Ace Baldwin Jr. Sinks Buckeyes

Blake Corum Hosts Holiday Drive

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