Nitty-Gritty Details of Zach Edey's 3-Pointer Make Purdue Star's Moment Even Better

Zach Edey told Braden Smith to "look for him on the pop." Mason Gillis had some words of encouragement. Matt Painter didn't know it was coming. All the nitty-gritty details of Edey's 3-pointer made the Purdue star's shot against Indiana even better.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind — Everyone inside Mackey Arena could feel it coming. The whisperings of excitement bounced off the walls as Zach Edey lingered around the 3-point line with less than seven minutes to play in Saturday's Purdue-Indiana rivalry game.

Edey set the screen for Braden Smith, then popped out behind the arc. When the 7-foot-4 center caught the ball, 14,240 people held their collective breath. The ball seemed to hang in the air for two hours.

 The eruption inside Mackey Arena after the shot banked in was deafening. 

For the first time in his illustrious career, Edey made a shot from behind the 3-point line. The joy on his face — and the excitement his teammates felt — perfectly encapsulated Saturday night's 79-59 victory over the Hoosiers.

"I'm the best shooter in the country," Edey said jokingly when asked if he "called bank" on the shot. "And we'll leave it at that."

You’ve waited for it…

… so here you go. - @zach_edey

🎯 BULLSEYE!!! pic.twitter.com/EKzTKSstxp

— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) February 11, 2024

Usually, there isn't that much thought or discussion that goes into a 3-point attempt at the 6:35 mark in the second half of a blowout game. At the time of Edey's shot, the Boilermakers owned a 66-41 lead. The janitors had already broken out their brooms to signify the season sweep of Indiana.

But this was only the second 3-point attempt of his career. And with Purdue in complete control for most of the second half, Edey wanted the opportunity to knock down his first triple with the Black and Gold. 

"He told me the timeout before, and he was like, 'Hey, hit me on the pop,'" Smith said. "And I kinda just giggled. I was like, 'Dude, we're only up like 20. What are you doing?' It worked."

Purdue senior Mason Gillis had some advice for the big man before taking the shot.

"I always tell him, if you're gonna shoot it, shoot it with confidence," he said. 

Maybe the best part of the whole sequence? Purdue coach Matt Painter had no idea what Edey and Smith were plotting. 

"Yeah, they did that without my knowledge," Painter said, drawing a laugh from reporters. "He missed it so bad it went in."

After the first meeting between Purdue and Indiana — an 87-66 victory for the Boilermakers at Assembly Hall — Painter was asked how Edey has improved his game to be a potential lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The Boilermakers leader provided one of his thoughtful explanations, getting into all the nitty-gritty of what makes Edey a special player.

One of the throwaway lines from Painter at the time? "He can shoot from the perimeter, I just don't let him." 

So, maybe that's why the plan to get the 7-footer a look from long range remained a secret.

Painter wasn't mad about it.

"He deserves it, though. He deserves it," Painter said. "He comes every night and he competes and you're always kinda waiting for him, one night to not have it. ... Zach's a competitor. He plays hard every night."

Edey's 3-pointer drew most of the attention on Saturday night — deservedly so. Hitting your first ever shot from long range is a special moment. Doing it in front of a home crowd in a blowout win over your rival makes it even more memorable.

But it somewhat overshadows everything Edey did to help Purdue get a win, improving to 22-2 on the season and taking a two-and-a-half-game lead in the Big Ten standings. 

He finished the game with 26 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks, leading the team in each category. In two games against Indiana this season, the reigning National Player of the Year averaged 29.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, two assists and 1.5 blocks. 

Oh, and he's shooting 100% from the 3-point line.

As the three Purdue players prepared to exit the podium after Saturday's win, Edey was asked one final question. Did he get the ball to remember his special night?

"The game ball?" Edey asked. "I'm gonna look for it."

Related Purdue-Indiana stories

• WHAT MATT PAINTER SAID: Matt Painter talked about Purdue's success defensively, the physical play from Trey Kaufman-Renn and Mason Gillis and, of course, Zach Edey's 3-pointer following the Boilermakers' 79-59 win over the Indiana Hoosiers Saturday night. CLICK HERE
• ZACH EDEY'S 3-POINTER: Purdue superstar Zach Edey made his first career 3-point attempt on Saturday night against Indiana. The Mackey Arena crowd exploded after the 7-foot-4 center hit the shot from behind the arc. CLICK HERE
• WHAT MIKE WOODSON SAID: Here's the full transcript of Mike Woodson's press conference following Indiana's 79-59 loss at Purdue on Saturday night inside Mackey Arena. CLICK HERE