Gonzaga coach Mark Few is very impressed with Purdue basketball. The Bulldogs coach had nothing but compliments to give the Boilermakers after they handled business in the NCAA tournament, defeating Gonzaga in the Sweet 16.
“They’re hunting right now. They’re not being hunted. That’s how you get to Final Fours and that’s how you get to National Championship games,” Few said after the game. The Gonzaga coach also said he’s rooting for Purdue coach Matt Painter.
Purdue basketball looked sharp as a tack in the Sweet 16, knocking out Gonzaga by a score of 80-68. The Boilermakers’ center Zach Edey had yet another fantastic game. The big man finished the contest with another double-double, pouring in 27 points to go with 14 rebounds. Purdue guard Braden Smith proved to be a strong compliment to Edey, getting 14 points and an astonishing 15 assists. Purdue’s hot shooting in the second half ultimately doomed Gonzaga. The Bulldogs also had no answer for Edey down low, as Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme are no longer walking through the door.
Purdue rolling
Purdue is one of two remaining no. 1 seeds in the tournament. UConn is the other, after Houston and North Carolina both bowed out in the Sweet 16. The Boilermakers are in the Elite Eight for the second time in the tenure of Matt Painter. Painter has been with the school since 2005, but never made a Final Four. The team needs to defeat Tennessee on Sunday to break that glass ceiling.
It surely seems there’s a good chance for that to happen, with Zach Edey in the low post. Edey has become a true hero at the school, breaking school scoring records and putting up double-doubles nearly every night. The big man has made a believer of some of his opponents, including Gonzaga guard Ryan Nembhard.
The Boilermakers are out for revenge this season, after losing in the first round of March Madness last year as a no. 1 seed. Purdue basketball is the second team to lose to a 16 seed in the NCAA tournament, as a no. 1 seed. The other school was Virginia, who went on the very next season to win the national championship. Purdue is hoping to mirror that accomplishment this year.
This may be Purdue and Painter’s last chance at a Final Four. Edey is expected to be leaving the school after the season is over, and the Big Ten is about to get a lot harder. UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington are joining the conference for competition next season. Nothing is assured these days in college basketball, as the transfer portal allows a school to reload and rebuild each season.
Purdue basketball plays Tennessee in the Elite Eight on Sunday. That game tips off at 2:20 Eastern. Tennessee defeated Creighton to reach the Elite Eight.
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