Coach Jon Scheyer gives candid account of how Duke handled Zach Edey: "He’s a hard guy to prepare for because there’s nobody else like him"
Purdue Boilermakers junior Zach Edey has been one of the NCAA's most dominant big men. It doesn't take long to figure out why, given Edey's frame.
Listed at 7-foot-4, 295 pounds, Edey continues to be a difficult assignment for any opposing team. That includes the Duke Blue Devils, who found out firsthand just how good Edey can be. Going head-to-head in the Phil Knight Legacy tournament championship game, Purdue defeated Duke in convincing fashion, 75-56 on Sunday.
Purdue was led by Zach Edey, who finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and three assists. Edey has stood out before, mainly due to his size and ability to dominate around the basket. After a strong sophomore season, Edey has started to see his game take off to another level.
It got the attention of Duke coach Jon Scheyer. Speaking to the media in the postgame, Scheyer praised Edey's ability:
"To play a team like Purdue ... they were great today. They have the most unique player in the country probably in Edey."
Scheyer talked about how difficult it was to gameplan for Edey, the tallest player in Big Ten basketball history:
"He’s a hard guy to prepare for because there’s nobody else like him."
Purdue big man Zach Edey off to strong start in 2022-23
The Purdue Boilermakers sent a statement with their performances against Duke on Sunday and their 84-66 demolition of then-No. 8 Gonzaga on Friday. The pair of eye-opening wins resulted in Purdue being moved up to No. 5 (from No. 19) in the latest AP rankings.
Purdue has one of the most dynamic threats in all of college basketball in the middle of the paint. Zach Edey was a force last year as a sophomore, averaging 14.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. He shot 64.8% from the field and 64.9% from the free-throw line.
seals well to get deep post position
247sports.com/Article/colleg…Zach Edey doesn’t just have tremendous size at 7-4 & 295lbs, but great strength & balance.
▪️seals well to get deep post position
▪️will power dribble to get deeper
▪️can pivot through contact
▪️draws all kinds of fouls
📝 247sports.com/Article/colleg… https://t.co/y9hcQphpeR
This season, Edey has started to take his game to an entirely new level. He's averaging 21.7 ppg, 12.0 rpg and 2.3 bpg while shooting 61.5% from the field and 75.6% from the free-throw line.
With the impressive performances from Edey and Purdue lately, NBA scouts will be watching closely to see what the talented big man can do. If Edey can continue to keep up this type of impressive production, he's going to be heating up in NBA draft circles.