Coming into Saturday, the Final Four matchup between NC State and Purdue was billed as a big one as it featured the battle of the big men between the Boilermakers’ Zach Edey and the Wolpack’s DJ Burns. Edey has been one of the top college players in the country all season while Burns has made himself a household name with his NCAA Tournament run. Purdue got the better of NC State, 63-50, and following the game Zach Edey got to meet NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal for the first time.
A dominant center himself during his playing days, O’Neal is a fan of up and coming big men in the game. Zach Edey ended up outplaying DJ Burns during Purdue’s win. Edey finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. He shot 9-14 from the field.
In comparison, DJ Burns finished with only eight points, one rebound and four assists. He shot only 4-10 from the field. With the win, Purdue advanced to the national championship game for the first time since 1969. Edey encountered Shaq while heading to the locker room following the game.
When Edey noticed Shaq, he immediately walked over to him and said, “Great to finally meet you, man. It’s an honor.”
It was a cool moment between two dominant big men.
Zach Edey has been dominating college basketball this season
Zach Edey has arguably been the best player in college basketball this season. After a disappointing 2022-23 season during which Purdue was eliminated in the first round against a No. 16 seed, they’ve come back with a vengeance to give themselves a chance at playing for a national championship.
It’s been the man in the middle, Edey, who has been at the forefront of Purdue’s strong season. This year he’s been averaging 25.0 points per game, 12.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.2 blocked shots with splits of 62.4 percent shooting from the field and 71 percent shooting from the free throw line.
Edey opted to return to school after testing the NBA Draft waters last season. One of the biggest questions though facing Edey after this season is where he ultimately gets drafted. He’s drawn a wide variance in terms of his potential draft stock with some mock drafts having him drafted in the first round while others have him being selected in the second round.
Edey potentially had another season of college eligibility left due to his COVID year, but he has made the decision not to use it and to enter the NBA Draft.
Purdue has had a strong NCAA Tournament run. They breezed through the first two rounds of the tournament and the Sweet 16, winning each game by double digits. They were challenged in the Elite Eight by Tennessee, but held on to advance to the Final Four. While the NC State was billed as a top matchup, the Boilermakers essentially dominated that game.
This is Matt Painter’s 19th season as head coach. He’s lead Purdue to the NCAA Tournament in 15 of those seasons. But this is the farthest in the tournament he’s ever been.
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