Purdue’s Edey Scores Double-Double and Smith Adds 19 in Dominating Win over Indiana 79-59

In a commanding display, Purdue’s center Zach Edey showcased his prowess against Indiana this Saturday at WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.

The powerhouse player, who holds the title of the national player of the year, racked up a double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds, in addition to contributing four assists, two blocks, and notably, sinking the first 3-pointer of his career. His standout performance propelled No. 2 Purdue to a commanding 79-59 victory against their rivals, Indiana.

With a twinkle in his eye, Edey quipped about his shooting prowess following his successful 3-point attempt. “I’m the best shooter in the country,” he said in jest. “It was important. We had a score to settle from last year. For the seniors and me, this was our final opportunity to play with passion, and we certainly brought it.”

Standing tall at 7-foot-4, Edey wasn’t the sole contributor; the Boilermakers (22-2, 11-2 Big Ten) extended their winning streak to eight games with additional support from teammates. Braden Smith chipped in with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Mason Gillis hit three triples to add nine points to the scoreboard.

This victory marks the first instance since the 1993-94 season where Purdue has vanquished Indiana in two meetings within one season, each time by a margin of 20 points or more.

For Indiana (14-10, 6-7), CJ Gunn achieved a personal best with 13 points. Kel’El Ware contributed 11 points and eight boards, and Trey Galloway rounded out the effort with 10 points and seven assists.

The game followed a pattern Purdue fans have come to recognize, and Indiana coach Mike Woodson has come to dread.

Indiana initially held the lead for the first 6 1/2 minutes and even kept the score close at 20-18 past the midpoint of the first half. However, after a string of missed shots and a commanding finish to the first half by Purdue, the Boilermakers cemented their lead at 37-25 by halftime.

“This was a challenging game. We were facing the No. 2 team in the nation, on their home court, in an unforgiving environment,” Woodson remarked. “We started strong but as we approached halftime, we struggled to score and made a few costly errors.”

Purdue didn’t slack in the second half either, storming out with an uninterrupted 10-point run. Indiana couldn’t muster a comeback, and Edey’s 3-point shot affirmed Purdue’s dominance.

“Do I have the game ball?” Edey mused about his unexpected long-range basket. “I’ll have to hunt for it.”

BIG PICTURE

With consistent performances over the past two seasons, Purdue continues to rank among the elite teams in the U.S. A string of victories at Wisconsin, through overtime against Northwestern, and now a double defeat of Indiana puts Purdue in a strong position for another run at the Big Ten title.

The Hoosiers, led by coach Woodson, have faced challenges with road game performances. This inconsistency reared its head again on Saturday. Despite resurging competitiveness in recent seasons with a trio of victories against Purdue, Indiana has yet to stabilize this season, and time is quickly slipping to bolster their credentials.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

While UConn, the defending national champions, have also claimed wins this week, they stand to block Purdue’s route to the No. 1 spot. However, Purdue’s position within the top five is hardly in jeopardy, as they’re likely to continue a streak of being ranked within this echelon for the 31st consecutive time.

UP NEXT

Indiana looks ahead to a home game against Northwestern on Feb. 18, while Purdue prepares to play host to Minnesota on Thursday.

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