As the reigning national player of the year, Purdue basketball center Zach Edey has faced some phenomenal opponents and challenges during his career with the Boilermakers.
The top seeded Boilermakers and Edey will face quite a challenge tonight when Purdue basketball tips off against defending national champion UConn. The Boilermakers, who enter 34-4, enter as a 6.5 point underdog, something that Edey welcomed during Sunday’s media availability.
“Everyone looks at us as the underdog. So we don’t have anything to lose,” Edey said.
Losing is something that not has been in Purdue basketball’s vocabulary this NCAA Tournament. The Boilermakers have picked up wins over Grambling, Utah State, Gonzaga, Tennessee and N.C. State. The wins have come by an average of just under 20 points.
“We haven’t sat back and let teams attack us. We’ve been the aggressors most of the games,” Edey said.
Huge task awaits Purdue basketball
Much like the Boilermakers, UConn has breezed past its opponents and have looked extremely dominant, including a 30-0 run against Illinois.
“This is the game where no one really expects much from us, and we’re going to come out with that energy. We believe in ourselves. We know what type of team we are. We know what type of guys we have. All the pressure is on them, so we’re just going to come out and play loose” Edey said.
UConn presents an inside presence with 7-foot-2-inch Donovan Clingan, someone the Purdue basketball big man said is a “great player.”
“Obviously we’re going to give him the respect that he’s earned throughout the whole year, but I’ve played against big men before. I’ve played in the Big Ten every year, there’s three or four 7-footers in the Big Ten. Obviously, they aren’t Donovan Clingan. But it’s not like I’m not used to having that.”
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