Zach Edey has first 30-20 March Madness game since 1995, No. 1 seed Purdue routs Grambling State
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Purdue center Zach Edey took care of some unfinished business Friday night.
He made a little more history, too.
Edey produced the first 30-point, 20-rebound NCAA Tournament game since 1995 and emphatically ended the discussion about first-round March Madness exits by leading the top-seeded Boilermakers past 16th-seeeded Grambling State 78-50.
“You say this was a big stage but it’s just basketball,” Edey said. “I kind of came out, tried to set the tone, tried to play as hard as I could, tried to send a message to the team that we’re here, we’re ready, we’re good, and mentally we’re good. Send a message to the country that we’re good.”
The questions began 372 days ago when Fairleigh Dickinson became the second No. 16 seed to defeat a top seed, but the steely-eyed Canadian refused to let it happen to Purdue again.
The greatest scorer and rebounder in school history finished with 30 points, 21 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in 30 minutes.
He went 11 of 17 from the field and when he did miss, he often scored on putbacks or drew fouls. Defensively, he changed shots, gobbled up even more rebounds and constantly challenged the Tigers with his 7-foot-4, 300-pound body. Purdue held a 48-23 rebounding advantage, too.
Just how good was Edey? The last player with a 30-20 game in the tournament was Joe Smith of Maryland on March 18, 1995.
Edey, who could become the first back-to-back winner of national player of the year since Ralph Sampson in the early 1980s, is the first Division I player with 800 points, 400 rebounds, 50 blocks and 50 assists in one season.
“We played one of the best schedules in the country, we played in one of the best leagues in the country, so we’ve been challenged,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “This is what we know - this is what we get judged on. But you can’t forget to have fun, and you can’t forget to go out there and compete and just lay it on the line. But like Zach said, it’s a basketball game. We go out there and have some fun with it.”
The Tigers (21-15) certainly didn’t have much fun against Purdue or Edey.
Tra’Michael Moton had 21 points for the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament champs, who emerged as an early tourney darling with an overtime victory over Montana State in the First Four in their first NCAA tourney game. Kintavious Dozier finished with 16 points.
“I don’t think anybody has seen anything like Zach Edey,” Dozier said. "That’s kind of unreal. What they say he is on paper, he’s exactly that.”
Unlike last March, Purdue left no doubt about who had the better team - or the best player.
The Boilermakers built a 36-27 halftime lead in front of a sellout crowd largely clad in the school’s dominant black color, 60 miles from the school’s campus. Edey certainly played to the loud fans hoping to thwart another early postseason exit, helping the Boilermakers open the second half on an 18-6 spurt. They never looked back.
“I would tell them to figure out how they’re going to handle Zach Edey,” Grambling coach Donte’ Jackson said when asked about his advice for future opponents. “The reality of the situation is I hope you’re equipped for it. We’re just not equipped to play - we don’t see Zach Edey. We don’t see anyone as physical or dominant as him."
Braden Smith added 11 points and 10 assists for the Boilermakers (30-4), who tied the single-season school record for wins.
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Purdue can book a Sweet 16 trip to Detroit if it beats No. 8 seed Utah State on Sunday. The Aggies defeated TCU 88-72.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Jonathan Aku vs. Zach Edey (Boilermakers gains possession) | |||
19:31 | Zach Edey misses two point jump shot | |||
19:29 | Trey Kaufman-Renn offensive rebound | |||
19:18 | Trey Kaufman-Renn misses two point layup | |||
19:16 | Jonathan Aku defensive rebound | |||
19:04 | Kintavious Dozier misses two point jump shot | |||
19:02 | Zach Edey defensive rebound | |||
18:46 | Kintavious Dozier blocks Lance Jones's three point jump shot | |||
18:44 | Zach Edey offensive rebound | |||
18:39 | +2 | Zach Edey makes two point dunk | 0-2 | |
18:15 | +2 | Tra'Michael Moton makes two point jump shot (Jonathan Aku assists) | 2-2 | |
17:54 | +2 | Zach Edey makes two point dunk (Braden Smith assists) | 2-4 | |
17:32 | +2 | Kintavious Dozier makes two point jump shot | 4-4 | |
17:05 | Trey Kaufman-Renn misses two point jump shot | |||
17:03 | Trey Kaufman-Renn offensive rebound | |||
16:59 | Trey Kaufman-Renn misses two point layup | |||
16:57 | Trey Kaufman-Renn offensive rebound | |||
16:54 | +3 | Braden Smith makes three point jump shot (Trey Kaufman-Renn assists) | 4-7 | |
16:33 | Kintavious Dozier misses two point jump shot | |||
16:31 | Braden Smith defensive rebound | |||
16:18 | Lance Jones misses two point jump shot | |||
16:16 | Zach Edey offensive rebound | |||
16:10 | +2 | Zach Edey makes two point jump shot (Braden Smith assists) | 4-9 | |
16:09 | Jonathan Aku shooting foul (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
16:07 | Zach Edey misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
16:07 | Kintavious Dozier defensive rebound | |||
15:40 | +2 | Jonathan Aku makes two point layup (Antwan Burnett assists) | 6-9 | |
15:23 | +3 | Braden Smith makes three point jump shot (Lance Jones assists) | 6-12 | |
14:59 | +2 | Kintavious Dozier makes two point layup (Tra'Michael Moton assists) | 8-12 | |
14:39 | Jonathan Aku shooting foul (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
14:39 | TV timeout | |||
14:39 | Zach Edey misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
14:39 | Zach Edey misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
14:39 | Camden Heide offensive rebound | |||
14:20 | Braden Smith misses three point jump shot | |||
14:18 | Zach Edey offensive rebound | |||
14:17 | Jalen Johnson flagrant 1 (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
14:17 | +1 | Zach Edey makes flagrant free throw 1 of 2 | 8-13 | |
14:17 | +1 | Zach Edey makes flagrant free throw 2 of 2 | 8-14 | |
14:08 | Zach Edey turnover (bad pass) (Jimel Cofer steals) | |||
14:02 | Kintavious Dozier misses two point layup | |||
14:01 | Jimel Cofer offensive rebound | |||
14:02 | Jump ball. (Tigers gains possession) | |||
13:42 | Antwan Burnett turnover (bad pass) (Braden Smith steals) | |||
13:40 | Tra'Michael Moton personal foul (Fletcher Loyer draws the foul) | |||
13:36 | Jalen Johnson shooting foul (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
13:36 | +1 | Zach Edey makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 8-15 | |
13:36 | +1 | Zach Edey makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-16 | |
13:21 | +2 | Tra'Michael Moton makes two point jump shot | 10-16 | |
13:03 | Mason Gillis misses two point jump shot | |||
13:02 | Zach Edey offensive rebound | |||
13:02 | Malik Lamin personal foul (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
12:55 | Malik Lamin blocks Zach Edey's two point jump shot | |||
12:53 | Tra'Michael Moton defensive rebound | |||
12:46 | +3 | Tra'Michael Moton makes three point jump shot | 13-16 | |
12:23 | +2 | Zach Edey makes two point jump shot (Myles Colvin assists) | 13-18 | |
12:12 | Tra'Michael Moton misses three point jump shot | |||
12:10 | Zach Edey defensive rebound | |||
12:00 | +3 | Braden Smith makes three point jump shot (Zach Edey assists) | 13-21 | |
11:42 | Jimel Cofer turnover (bad pass) (Camden Heide steals) | |||
11:35 | Camden Heide turnover (bad pass) (Tra'Michael Moton steals) | |||
11:24 | +2 | Kintavious Dozier makes two point jump shot (Jimel Cofer assists) | 15-21 | |
11:11 | +2 | Zach Edey makes two point dunk (Braden Smith assists) | 15-23 | |
10:45 | Kintavious Dozier misses two point jump shot | |||
10:43 | Zach Edey defensive rebound | |||
10:33 | Mason Gillis misses three point jump shot | |||
10:31 | Zach Edey offensive rebound | |||
10:24 | Malik Lamin blocks Zach Edey's two point layup | |||
10:22 | Tra'Michael Moton defensive rebound | |||
10:16 | Tra'Michael Moton misses two point layup | |||
10:14 | Myles Colvin defensive rebound | |||
10:09 | Camden Heide misses three point jump shot | |||
10:07 | Tra'Michael Moton defensive rebound | |||
9:41 | Kintavious Dozier misses two point jump shot | |||
9:39 | Zach Edey defensive rebound | |||
9:32 | Myles Colvin misses three point jump shot | |||
9:30 | Tra'Michael Moton defensive rebound | |||
9:00 | +2 | Kintavious Dozier makes two point layup (Malik Lamin assists) | 17-23 | |
8:41 | +3 | Camden Heide makes three point jump shot (Zach Edey assists) | 17-26 | |
8:12 | Zach Edey shooting foul (Kintavious Dozier draws the foul) | |||
8:12 | TV timeout | |||
8:12 | +1 | Kintavious Dozier makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-26 | |
8:12 | +1 | Kintavious Dozier makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-26 | |
8:03 | +3 | Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Mason Gillis assists) | 19-29 | |
7:44 | Kintavious Dozier turnover (lost ball) (Lance Jones steals) | |||
7:38 | Jourdan Smith shooting foul (Lance Jones draws the foul) | |||
7:38 | TV timeout | |||
7:38 | Lance Jones misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
7:38 | Kintavious Dozier defensive rebound | |||
7:17 | +2 | Kintavious Dozier makes two point layup | 21-29 | |
6:53 | Braden Smith misses three point jump shot | |||
6:51 | Malik Lamin defensive rebound | |||
6:34 | +2 | Malik Lamin makes two point dunk (Mikale Stevenson assists) | 23-29 | |
6:13 | Fletcher Loyer turnover (bad pass) | |||
5:47 | Kintavious Dozier misses two point jump shot | |||
5:45 | Zach Edey defensive rebound | |||
5:37 | Trey Kaufman-Renn misses two point layup | |||
5:35 | Kintavious Dozier defensive rebound | |||
5:30 | Mikale Stevenson misses two point layup | |||
5:28 | Trey Kaufman-Renn defensive rebound | |||
5:24 | Lance Jones turnover (lost ball) (Mikale Stevenson steals) | |||
5:24 | Lance Jones personal foul | |||
5:00 | +2 | Jourdan Smith makes two point jump shot (Kintavious Dozier assists) | 25-29 | |
4:37 | +2 | Zach Edey makes two point layup (Trey Kaufman-Renn assists) | 25-31 | |
4:18 | Kintavious Dozier misses two point jump shot | |||
4:16 | Zach Edey defensive rebound | |||
3:56 | Trey Kaufman-Renn turnover (bad pass) (Mikale Stevenson steals) | |||
3:47 | TV timeout | |||
3:37 | +2 | Mikale Stevenson makes two point jump shot (Jonathan Aku assists) | 27-31 | |
3:20 | Jonathan Aku personal foul (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
3:20 | Zach Edey misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
3:20 | Mikale Stevenson defensive rebound | |||
2:49 | Mikale Stevenson misses two point jump shot | |||
2:48 | Tigers turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
2:21 | Jourdan Smith blocks Zach Edey's two point dunk | |||
2:19 | Antwan Burnett defensive rebound | |||
1:53 | Tra'Michael Moton misses three point jump shot | |||
1:51 | Fletcher Loyer defensive rebound | |||
1:40 | Mason Gillis misses three point jump shot | |||
1:38 | Braden Smith offensive rebound | |||
1:32 | +3 | Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Braden Smith assists) | 27-34 | |
1:15 | Antwan Burnett misses three point jump shot | |||
1:13 | Fletcher Loyer defensive rebound | |||
1:06 | Braden Smith misses three point jump shot | |||
1:05 | Mason Gillis offensive rebound | |||
1:05 | Jump ball. (Boilermakers gains possession) | |||
0:55 | Braden Smith misses three point jump shot | |||
0:53 | Zach Edey offensive rebound | |||
0:52 | Malik Lamin personal foul (Zach Edey draws the foul) | |||
0:52 | Zach Edey misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
0:52 | Kintavious Dozier defensive rebound | |||
0:32 | Kintavious Dozier misses two point layup | |||
0:30 | Mason Gillis defensive rebound | |||
0:04 | +2 | Fletcher Loyer makes two point layup | 27-36 | |
0:00 | End of period |