Purdue rolls past Minnesota to open Big Ten play

Paced by another dominant showing by Purdue All-America candidate Zach Edey and a blazing run of perimeter shooting, fifth-ranked Purdue opened Big Ten play emphatically with an 89-70 win over visiting Minnesota. The Boilermakers are now 8-0 on the season.

Edey shook off a slow start to trample an overmatched Gopher frontcourt, to the tune of 31 points and 22 rebounds, grabbing more rebounds than Minnesota’s whole team. Fletcher Loyer scored 20 to go along with eight assists (with no turnovers) and Brandon Newman 13. Trey Kaufman-Renn gave Purdue 10 points off the bench, matching Caleb Furst‘s total.

Purdue played with starting forward Mason Gillis, who’s dealing with what’s been described as a minor back issue.

The Boilermakers led by as many as 22, but Minnesota scored 43 in the second half on 53 percent shooting. Purdue just outscored the Gophers, scoring 47 on 58-percent shooting.

PDF: Purdue-Minnesota statistics

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ZACH EDEY AGAIN LAYS WASTE TO ALL IN HIS PATH

Couple days ago at Florida State, Zach Edey had the ball offset from the rim, a few feet out, drop-step and jump hook range for a lot of centers. Instead, he dunked it, on a couple Seminoles.

Tonight, against Minnesota, Edey caught the ball just outside the right elbow, with space in front of him. Not exactly his comfort zone, but he made it so, taking one dribble and extending to dunk over Gopher freshman Pharrell Payne, whose name took on a new meaning on a play that showed the distinct edge Purdue’s best player is carrying himself with right now.

“He’s just playing with confidence,” Coach Matt Painter said. “Anybody who’s been as consistent as he’s been this season, that’s going to build confidence and it’s going to make you want the basketball more and make you want to be aggressive.”

Edey missed three of his first four shots, getting high-percentage opportunities, but just not finishing them, as he finished the game an uncharacteristic 11-of-23 from the floor. Nevertheless, it was Edey’s seventh consecutive game of 20 or more points and second 30-or-more-point outing of the season.

But offensive productivity was a fraction of Edey’s story against the Gophers.

After the Florida State, he spoke of his apathy toward his own rebounding numbers, because of his priority being that Purdue get the rebound, whether it involves him grabbing the ball or someone else. If the ball comes to him, great. If he occupies opposing players enough to where someone else gets it, great.

Against Minnesota, Edey may not have been consumed by his rebounding numbers, but he sure consumed rebounds.

He single-handedly out-rebounded Minnesota. His 22 rebounds were one more than the entire Gopher team accounted for. Eight of his rebounds came off the offensive glass. Minnesota’s final offensive rebound count: Three.

“It’s just playing hard,” Edey said. “Last game, the ball didn’t really come to me, but I’m just attacking the glass the same way every single time. … I’m just trying to attack the glass every single time. That’s the main thing.”

PURDUE BREAKS AWAY ON BREAK

Fletcher Loyer‘s 20 points were his season-high to this point, but the outside-shooting marksman did most of his damage at the rim or in the lane, attacking defenders scrambling to close out on him.

But one of his two threes came during the stretch in which Purdue really took command of the game.

Purdue led by seven with five-and-a-half left in the first half, but then Edey caught Loyer’s lob pass for a dump-truck of an and-one dunk, then made two free throws next trip.

Brandon Newman and Loyer then made back-to-back transition threes, and Newman a long two off a halfcourt set, as the Boilermakers flexed their jump-shooting muscle in opening up a 22-point lead before halftime.

“We knew they were getting a little tired there in that first half,” Loyer said. “And with me and Brandon on the floor and our guards pushing the ball off rebounds, we knew we could push it and get open shots. It was about us getting that rebound, seeing they were tired and then being in great physical shape to out-run them.”

That was the pivotal stretch in the game, part of a 7-of-17 three-point shooting game for the Boilermakers.

FORWARDS SPARK PURDUE

With Mason Gillis out, Purdue’s good problem to have — too many players worthy of more minutes at the forward position — was off the table against Minnesota, and both Caleb Furst and Trey Kaufman-Renn put their finger-prints all over this win, combining for 20 points and eight rebounds.

Furst was 4-of-5 from the floor, 2-of-2 from three-point range; Kaufman-Renn again was Purdue’s go-to player on the block when Edey was on the bench and finished with 10 points, six boards and three assists.

“They just happen to run plays for me when Zach’s out,” Kaufman-Renn said. “I’m more of a low-post threat when Z’s out, so I just try to take my opportunities and score when I can.”