Simplicity, Production From Zach Edey Gives Purdue Basketball an Edge in NCAA Tournament
PHILADELPHIA — Purdue basketball's big men have followed a simple message throughout the season. If they are double-teamed, pass the ball. But if they find themselves one-on-one in the post, attack the rim and score.
Under the direction of head coach Matt Painter and assistant Brandon Brantley, sophomore center Zach Edey has found a system where he can hone the intricacies of his game.
Aspects of the sport like controlling the basketball, making accurate passes and even using a non-dominant hand to finish under the basket were things that weren't so trivial for Edey when he came to West Lafayette.
But the 7-foot-4 phenom has taken a huge leap in his second season, and he's creating matchup nightmares for opponents in the NCAA Tournament.
"Each one of our big guys, especially guys like Zach that cause different problems, it really teaches us a lot because the defenses throw a lot of different looks at them," Painter said ahead of the team's Sweet 16 matchup with Saint Peter's on Friday. "And then you're able to manipulate that defense and kind of play what you want.
"But then it's just kind of grown from there, and guys see that this is a great place to get an education, but it's also a great place for a seven-footer."
Over the years, the Boilermakers have consistently brought in players that sometimes seemed larger than life, turning them into heavy contributors on the court.
The lineage under Painter and Brantley goes back to 7-foot A.J. Hammons, who was first-team All-Big Ten selection and honorable mention All-America back during the 2015-16 season.
Then followed 7-foot-2 Isaac Haas and 7-foot-3 Matt Haarms, not to mention All-Americans Caleb Swanigan and Trevion Williams. Now, Edey is continuing a standing tradition of towering athletes playing for the Purdue basketball program.
"They really know how to develop big people because they've been through it with a bunch of big people," Edey said. "Just working on the fundamentals. It's not like we do anything really crazy. I don't think I do anything crazy.
"Isaac never really did anything crazy. Matt didn't do anything crazy. Trevion, he does some crazy stuff, but it still works. But it's really sticking to fundamentals and keeping it simple for the most part."
And simplicity made a big difference for Purdue in its pair of victories in the opening weekend of March Madness.
Edey, who played just 19 minutes in the first round against Yale, scored 16 points on 4-7 shooting from the field while adding nine rebounds and an assist in a 78-56 win. He also embraced the physicality of the matchup, drawing fouls that led to 10 shots from the free-throw line.
And he replicated that production in the second round against a stout Texas team. Even as Williams dominated the matchup with a team-high 22 points, Edey contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. He shot another 12 shots from the foul line in the 81-71 victory to advance to the Sweet 16.
Across both games, Edey only turned the ball over a total of two times. And now No. 15-seed Saint Peter's is next up to try to contain Purdue's interior duo.
"It's kind of been the thing for the last two teams. That they don't have the size matchups," Purdue sophomore center Zach Edey said. "So we've dominated the offensive glass, getting my shots up, drawing a lot of fouls because that's what they have to do to guard me. Keep playing like I have the last two games, and hopefully, it works."
The Peacocks' best attempt at replicating Edey's size was by deploying 6-foot-10, 220-pound freshman forward Jerry Ngopot — the team's tallest player — in practice scenarios.
"The big fella at Purdue is a different animal," Saint Peter's coach Shaheen Holloway said of Edey.
With Edey rising to stardom, it left Williams — an All-American honorable mention just last season — to bring a spark for the Boilermakers off the bench. The pair have split time under Painter without a complaint, and it's been a huge factor for the team's success this season.
Sure, Williams was relegated to merely earning third-team All-Big Ten honors this season while Edey garnered second-team All-Big Ten recognition. But the 6-foot-10 senior collected the conference's Sixth Man of the Year award for his play.
Together, the pair form a one-two punch that programs have struggled to plan for all season long. Williams' maturity and sacrifice have allowed Edey to become one of the nation's most unique mismatches.
Their success has been crucial for Purdue as it searches for the program's first Final Four appearance since 1980. But first comes the Sweet 16 matchup with Saint Peter's on Friday night.
"They're great players, and they work really hard," Purdue sophomore guard Jaden Ivey said of Edey and Williams. "Regardless of what type of accolades that they get or they don't get, I still love playing with them, and I know on a daily basis they're going to give it their all. Playing with them is so much fun, and I just love being around them."
Stories Related to Purdue Basketball
- PHOTO GALLERY: The Purdue Boilermakers have arrived safely in Philadelphia and spent some of Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center, the site of this weekend's NCAA Tournament East Regional. Purdue plays Friday night against No. 15 seed Saint Peter's, the Cinderella of the tournament. Here's our photo gallery from practice and their media session. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE EXPERIENCE HELPS BETWEEN GAMES, TOO: It's one thing to have enough postseason experience to get through the tense NCAA games, but it's another thing to bridge the first week from the second and continue to get better. For Purdue's seniors, they've learned the routine, which should help on Friday night against Saint Peter's. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE MEETS SAINT PETER'S IN SWEET 16: Purdue basketball is preparing for its Sweet 16 matchup with Saint Peter's on Friday. The Peacocks are looking to become the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, but the Boilermakers stand in their way. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE HEAVY FAVORITE OVER SAINT PETER'S: The biggest favorite in the regional semifinals is No. 3 seed Purdue, who's taking on the Cinderella in the Big Dance, the Saint Peter's Peacocks. Here's the opening point spread, and some amazing data on Saint Peter's and their best-in-the-nation performance vs. the number this season. They are on a real heater. CLICK HERE
- HISTORY OF NO. 15 SEEDS IN NCAA TOURNAMENT: For only the third time in NCAA Tournament history, a No. 15 seed has advanced to the regional semifinals. Saint Peter's, a tiny Jesuit school in Jersey City, N.J., knocked off blueblood Kentucky and 31-win Murray State last week, and now have a date with Purdue on Friday in Philadelphia. Cinderella stories are cute, but they don't usually last long. A No. 15 seed has never won a game in the second week of the tourney. CLICK HERE
- 4 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SAINT PETER'S: Here are four newsy nuggets about Saint Peter's, Purdue's opponent on Friday night in NCAA Tournament East Regional semifinals in Philadelphia. CLICK HERE
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.