Zach Edey has always been overlooked all throughout his collegiate career. But after putting up a monster performance against the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Finals, Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter has given the talented big man the praise he deserves.
In that particular game, Purdue came up short against the Huskies as they lost to the defending champions with a score of 75-60. UConn coach Dan Hurley’s team proved to be too much for the Boilermakers as Tristen Newton’s 20 points led them to victory. Cam Spencer, Stephon Castle, and Donovan Clingan also scored in double-digits to help the team get their second consecutive championship.

The Boilermakers, on the other hand, had a big game from Edey when the Purdue center dropped 37 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks. Braden Smith added 12 points and eight assists in 38 minutes on the court. However, no other player in the lineup scored more than five points, which contributed to their defeat at the hands of UConn.
Even though Purdue lost their chance to become champions, there was no question Edey had a monster performance against the Huskies on the biggest stage of them all. Without a doubt, the Boilermakers star’s path to build his own legacy is only just beginning.
Purdue Boilermakers Coach Matt Painter Praises Zach Edey’s Performance in Title Bid Against UConn Huskies

After the game, head coach Matt Painter faced the media and gave Edey the flowers he deserved for so long. In a series of tweets by Brian Rauf on X:
“Painter on Edey: “When you look at his numbers against the greats, there’s no question he’s in the [GOAT] conversation. He’s also the winningest player at Purdue,” Rauf tweeted.
In response, Edey returned the favor for Painter and mentioned his time in Purdue now that his college career is over.
Edey on Painter: “Paint is someone who gave me a chance. I’ve been trying for 4 years to pay him back for that. He believed in me when not a lot of people believed in me. And then he gave me the ball…not a lot of coaches trusted me with that,” Rauf shared.
Edey on his Purdue legacy: “You can say whatever you want about me, how I play, but you can’t say I didn’t give it my all every time out on the floor,” Rauf posted.
In the four years Edey played for Purdue, the big man posted averages of 18.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. He also shot an efficient 62 percent from the field while playing almost 25 minutes per contest.

Without a doubt, Edey deserves all the praise he’s getting lately, especially that coming from Painter. And even though he lost the chance to become champion, his career is just getting started.

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