Difference makers: Purdue’s Zach Edey, Braden Smith spark victory over No. 6 Gonzaga

Zach Edey

Purdue’s 7-foot-4 center started slowly but found his stride midway through the first half. Edey had several dunks and finished 9 of 15 from the field to finish with 23 points. He swatted three shots and grabbed nine boards. He was plus-14 in the plus-minus category, sharing team-high honors with guard Fletcher Loyer.

Braden Smith

The Boilermakers’ freshman guard had a big night with 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds. He hit 2 of 4 3-point attempts and made all four of his free throws. Smith only had one turnover in 33 minutes. His stats nearly mirrored freshman backcourt running mate Loyer.

Turning point

Purdue began to assert control in the final 10 minutes of the second half and firmly took command with a 13-5 burst to take a 57-45 lead. Caleb Furst had two dunks and a corner 3-pointer to fuel the run.