Purdue star big man Zach Edey joined elite company Sunday as the No. 2 Boilermakers came from behind with a 75-69 victory on the road vs. No. 6 Wisconsin. With his second block of the day, Edey became the third player in NCAA history to account for 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 blocks while shooting 60% or better from the field during his collegiate career. Only Patrick Ewing and David Robinson have hit those same career numbers.
Edey achieved the feat with a vintage showing, turning in his 55th career double-double with 18 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks on the day after overcoming a slow start to help Purdue to the win and into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten standings.
Wisconsin badgered Edey in the paint early and forced the ball out of his hands while daring other Purdue players to make plays. Edey finished the first half with just five points and one made field goal, but as he is wont to do, he asserted his will in the second half with 13 points and eight boards to ease the pressure on his guards who had to shoulder the load early.
In the first half, Purdue guard Braden Smith carried the weight with a game-high 11 points on 10 shots, and in the second half Lance Jones scored 13 of his 20 points to help keep distance between him and the Badgers. While it wasn't a pretty finish -- Purdue fumbled multiple chances late to put the game away and let Wisconsin hang around -- the Boilermakers led for the entire final 30 minutes and did just enough to scoot by a tough opponent in a raucous environment.
CBS Sports was here with you for the entire game. Be sure to read on below for takeaways from Sunday's action between Purdue and Wisconsin.
Wisconsin went 0 for 11 from 3-point range in the final 20 minutes of play after finishing the first half 3 of 8 from beyond the arc. Purdue deserves credit for stepping up its perimeter defense and stifling Max Klesmit in particular. Klesmit had 10 in the first half but was held to zero in the second half, missing all three of his shot attempts from the field.
You cannot stop Zach Edey. You can only hope to contain him.
Wisconsin did a good job of sticking to that mantra early but failed to contain him in the second half; Edey scored 13 points, grabbed eight boards and swatted two shots in the second half to finish with 18 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. The majority of Purdue's success runs through Edey in the paint, but it did a good job of finding success through its guards to withstand Edey's early struggles to keep things close. Once he got going, Edey -- combined with a stellar second half from Lance Jones -- was a combo with which Wisconsin simply could not keep pace.
Because of Purdue's first-round NCAA Tournament exit last season as the No. 1 overall seed -- and the way in which it lost, attributable in part to poor guard play -- there are going to be skeptics about its postseason ceiling again this year given the core of the team in the backcourt is still intact. But Sunday was largely a positive sign on that front. Fletcher Loyer hit some timely shots, Braden Smith had 19 points on 15 shots, and Lance Jones found ways to score when it felt Purdue needed a shot in the arm. This isn't the strength of this Purdue team, but if the guard play can be average or slightly above it, then Edey can take this team a long way in March.
With the road win Sunday, Purdue's lead in the Big Ten regular-season race moves to 1.5 games over Wisconsin and two games over Illinois -- though the Illini plays later Sunday. There's still lots of ball left to play, but should things unfold as projected the league is officially Purdue's to lose. The final three games of the regular season may decide which team takes home the crown, with Purdue welcoming Michigan State and Wisconsin to Mackey Arena in early March sandwiched between a road tilt vs. Illinois on March 5.
Purdue is clinging to the lead, but Wisconsin is giving the Boilermakers all they can handle down the stretch with the lead down to four at the U4 media timeout. Been a huge second half for Tyler Wahl and Zach Edey going back and forth. Lance Jones has made some key shots for Purdue in this second half as well.
With his second block of the day vs. Wisconsin, Purdue big man Zach Edey has joined elite company as the third player in NCAA history to have amassed 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 200 blocks and shooting 60% or better from the field. Only Patrick Ewing and David Robinson have accomplished that.
Zach Edey is getting going in this second half and Purdue as a result is starting to put some distance between it and Wisconsin. Boilermakers now lead by 10, their largest of the game, as Edey is up to 11 points and 8 rebounds. Lance Jones and Braden Smith each with 13 points.
We've got a good one heating up in Madison as No. 2 Purdue leads 34-32 over No. 6 Wisconsin inside the Kohl Center. Wisconsin jumped out to an early advantage but Purdue punched its way back to take the lead just before the break. Purdue led by as many as six with a few minutes left before the Badgers made their final three shots and held Purdue without a field goal in the last five minutes.
It's been a group effort from Wisconsin with Max Klesmit leading the way with 10 points and Tyler Wahl adding eight points. For Purdue, Braden Smith leads the way with 11 points and three boards, while Zach Edey has been limited to just one made field goal and five points. Wisconsin did a great job forcing the ball out of his hands and daring other Boilermakers to beat them.
Greg Gard and Matt Painter are two of the best tacticians in the Big Ten, so we should be in for a fun final 20 minutes from Wisconsin.
Wisconsin has done a great job of forcing the ball out of Zach Edey's hands early in this one, and Purdue has done an even better job of feeding sophomore guard Braden Smith as a counter. Smith has 11 points on nine shots to go with a pair of rebounds and an assist. Purdue has come alive after trailing by five and now leads by six.
Max Klesmit has five early in this one and is the only one yet to score a 3 from either team. He's been playing lights-out the last month.
Purdue has the 7-foot-4 paint-dominating center, but it's Wisconsin that has taken it right to the rim and found success in the paint early. The Badgers are outscoring the Boilers 8-2 in paint points at the U16 timeout and lead 11-7. Max Klesmit has a game-high five points, and AJ Storr, Tyler Wahl, Steven Crowl also on the board early for Wisconsin.
It's been all Wisconsin out of the gate in the Kohl Center as the Badgers have raced out to a 4-1 advantage in the opening few minutes. Should be a great one today on CBS, so highly recommend you get there and join me for this one.
Winner takes sole lead of Big Ten.
KenPom.com has No. 2 Purdue as a two-point road favorite today over No. 6 Wisconsin.
Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM have the line at Purdue -2.5.
Purdue has the second-best scoring margin this season among Big Ten teams in true away games (+6.2) just behind Illinois (+7.6). Wisconsin's been solid at home this season though with its only loss in the Kohl Center coming in the second game of the season vs. Tennessee back on Nov. 10.
Perhaps the most loaded Saturday slate of the season came and went yesterday, and the results exceeded the hype.
Here's our look back of the day's winners and losers from all the action across the landscape.
We also had stories on No. 1 UConn holding serve on the road vs. St. John's, Kansas dominating a top-five Houston team, Kentucky's continued woes after losing to Tennessee, and UNC handling a really good Duke team in Chapel Hill.
Top of the morning, everyone. Hope you all are geared up and ready for a wonderful one in Wisconsin. We have No. 2 Purdue traveling to the Kohl Center at 1 p.m. ET to face No. 6 Wisconsin in a big battle that could determine the Big Ten.
Our expert picks are here. (Purdue is currently -2).
