Top-seeded Purdue rolls over Gonzaga to reach Elite Eight

DETROIT – Braden Smith was dealing.

Zach Edey was dunking.

Mason Gillis, Fletcher Loyer and Lance Jones were draining 3-pointers.

It’s a formula that’s worked all season for Purdue, and it proved once again to be the right mix to help advance the top-seeded Boilermakers into Sunday’s Elite Eight in the Midwest Region.

The 80-68 victory over fifth-seeded Gonzaga had all of coach Matt Painter’s ingredients working, bringing the program to the doorstep of the Final Four for the first time since 2019.

“They’re primed and focused. They’re hungry. They’re hunting right now. They’re not being hunted,” said Gonzaga coach Mark Few, who lost to the Boilermakers twice this season. “I think that’s how you get to Final Fours, and that’s how you get to national championship games.”

Purdue will face No. 2 seed Tennessee on Sunday (2:20 p.m., CBS).

Smith’s 15 assists indicated how well the offense was flowing, and it helped when his teammates hit 3-pointers. Purdue was 6 of 9 from 3-point range at the start and finished 9 of 20, with Smith, Jones, Loyer, and Gillis each having two.

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Edey dominated again, but the senior center scored one field goal during a 19-minute stretch as the Boilermakers took control. But Edey was there to finish the job, totaling 27 points and 14 rebounds.

The first-half 3-pointers kept Purdue from losing contact with Gonzaga before it forged ahead. A barrage of 3-pointers—Gillis, Loyer, Smith—in a two-minute stretch gave the Boilermakers the lead.

Purdue pulled away at the end of the first half, outscoring the Bulldogs 7-3 in the final two minutes to hold a 40-36 advantage. But the start of the second half, sparked by Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, helped build a cushion. The duo combined for the first 11 points after halftime as the Boilermakers led by nine.

However, Gonzaga had another run to close within two, but Purdue found another gear, using a 16-2 run to grab a 16-point advantage with under eight minutes to play.  

Smith flirted with another triple-double. Along with 15 assists, the sophomore had 14 points and eight rebounds. Jones had 12 and Loyer added 10 points.

Purdue did most of its damage in the first half from the outside but went inside after halftime. The Boilermakers outscored the Bulldogs 28-12 in the paint in the second half.

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“JUST A SPECIAL PLAYER”

When will Smith finally get that elusive triple-double?

Right now, the focus is winning, but we’re losing count of how many times Smith flirts with at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. He was fantastic in carving up Gonzaga’s defense, finding the open shooters, and also seeing opportunities to score.

Don’t forget that Smith had just two turnovers dealing with the Bulldogs’ pressure.

“What he did tonight, hard to put into words,” senior Ethan Morton said. “One of the best performances by a guard in this tournament, and I know that’s saying a lot for how many great performances we’ve seen over the years, but I appreciate the way he plays because that’s how I’ve tried to model my game as a pass-first guy.

“He went out there and flat-out everything they threw at him he had an answer for. Just a special player.”

It was hard to find a different opinion from inside Purdue’s locker room or from the Bulldogs’ perspective. And when Smith and Loyer are shooting well, it’s nearly impossible for an opponent to gain any traction against the Boilermakers with Edey down low.

Smith and Loyer were 10 of 18 shooting, including 4 of 8 from beyond the arc. The combination has been deadly all season, and Friday night was no different.

“When those two guards shoot it like that, it’s pick your poison,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “They shot it great from 3, and then in the second half, I think we shut down that area pretty good. Then Edey was just a load.”

Smith’s teammates, though, couldn’t stop raving about his performance. The 15 assists set a Purdue record for an NCAA tournament game.

“I don’t know if he elevated his game; that’s just his game. He played really well tonight,” Gillis said. “I don’t think he did anything he hasn’t done all year. It really worked tonight.

“People were in the right spots. His vision is incredible, and he can see things that other people can’t see, and maneuver, and get in position that a lot of other people can’t. Credit to him.”

Even this deep into the season, Edey doesn’t believe Smith receives enough credit for Purdue’s success and his own achievements.

“I’ve been saying it all year – I don’t think people appreciate how good he is,” Edey said. “He sets me up. I’ve never played with anyone who sets me up like that. I know I wouldn’t be putting up the numbers I would be without him.”

Smith does just about everything. He brings energy, he’s a leader, he’s a legitimate offensive threat, and his passing skills are among the best in the country.

“He really completes us,” Loyer said. “The way he’s taking care of it, the way he’s picking apart defenses, he’s really defended well, and he doesn’t get enough credit for that. Besides a few gambles that he makes, he’s a very good on-ball defender.”

FAST START TO SECOND HALF

Kaufman-Renn didn’t score in the first half, missing both field goal attempts.

Loyer made his only attempt – a 3-pointer.

Maybe those two were the last fans expected to jumpstart the Boilermakers after halftime. They combined for 11 points in less than four minutes, energizing the partisan Purdue crowd and making Little Ceasar’s Arena sound like Mackey Arena.

The lead was nine points after Loyer’s 3-pointer, forcing the Bulldogs to call a timeout.

“We needed everybody to step up in any given moment and on any given day and every possession,” Gillis said. “Sunday could be Cam (Heide) and Myles (Colvin). Sunday could be (the) defense. Everybody is ready, everybody knows the goal, and everybody is on the same page.”

Here’s what was impressive – and it’s not the first time this has happened – but the Boilermakers seized control with Edey scoring one field goal during a 19-minute stretch.

What Kaufman-Renn and Loyer did to start the second half was another example of how well-balanced this team continues to show.

“We can’t rely on him to do everything,” Loyer said. “He does so much for us. We’ve got to open it up for him when they can’t sit there and double him. Us making shots and him doing his work down low, he can take over.”

DOING YOUR JOB

In the big picture, what Morton did at the end of the first half for six seconds will go largely unnoticed.

After Edey completed a three-point play—he scored on a dunk, but Ben Gregg took a swipe at the ball and hit his head with 9.5 seconds on the clock—Purdue had two fouls to give before the Bulldogs would shoot free throws.

Painter inserted Morton into the game to foul Ryan Nembhard twice. The move prevented Gonzaga from pushing the ball up the floor and scoring before the buzzer.

Graham Ike’s jumper was off the mark and Purdue protected its four-point lead and started the second half on an 11-6 run.

“It’s whatever you’re asked to do,” Morton said. “I went in there and I didn’t mess it up. That was the biggest thing.”

Morton has adapted to his new role throughout the season.

“Whatever is asked is the epitome of this program,” Morton said. “If I’m not ready to do that, I’m doing a disservice to the coaching staff, the guys in this room, this university, and the fanbase as well.”