Zach Edey has been dominant in March Madness, leading the Purdue Boilermakers to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament. However, as they now gear up to face the NC State Wolfpack, Edey might find himself in trouble as he matches up with DJ Burns.
Burns has been the hero for the Wolfpack in their run to reach the Final Four despite being an 11th seed. And fans and experts alike see him making life hard for Edey when they meet.
Zach Edey vs. DJ Burns: By the Numbers
Edey has undoubtedly established himself as one of, if not the most imposing big man in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Just look at his latest performance as he powered Purdue to the Final Four against the Tennessee Volunteers.
In the showdown, Edey dropped 40 points and grabbed 16 rebounds. With that performance, he upped his averages in the competition to 30.0 points and 16.2 rebounds, all while tallying seven blocks in total, per Yahoo Sports.
With his 7-foot-4 frame and hulking body, Edey’s presence alone forces opponents to hesitate about attacking the rim. He absolute control of the glass had been a major problem for their opponents as well.
Burns, for his part, has been incredible to watch as well. While he doesn’t rebound the ball as much as Edey, his footwork and passing skills have really stood out, as he has become the focal point of the Wolfpack’s offense.
In their Elite Eight win over the Duke Blue Devils, Burns tallied 29 points, four rebounds and three assists. Overall in four games in the NCAA Tournament, Burns has averaged 18.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
Zach Edey vs. DJ Burns: What Analysts Say
Both Zach Edey and DJ Burns will meet on Sunday as the Purdue Boilermakers take on the NC State Wolfpack in the Final Four in Phoenix. While Purdue is considered the favorite since they have Edey and they are the no. 1 seed, many analysts see Burns really giving the big man a challenge.
Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports noted that Edey has yet to face a player like Burns in the NCAA Tournament, which should make it tough for the Purdue star.
“DJ Burns is somebody who could go at Zach Edey. We have not seen that really in this NCAA Tournament. We have literally a David against Goliath-type showdown,” Rothstein shared.
Former NBA player and All-Star Wally Szczerbiak seems to agree, sharing his observations on Burns’ play and what makes him a tough match-up for anyone.
“He is never in a rush. He just has such outstanding timing and footwork. And he makes body contact with his defender,” Szczerbiak shared.
It remains to be seen how the two will fare when they actually battle it out, but sure enough, it will be an interesting showdown.
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