Current:Home > NewsZach Edey and Purdue power their way into NCAA title game, beating N.C. State 63-50-InfoLens
Zach Edey and Purdue power their way into NCAA title game, beating N.C. State 63-50
View Date:2025-01-10 05:26:51
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Purdue kept its March Madness dream alive while snuffing out North Carolina State’s, getting 20 points and 12 rebounds from Zach Edey in a 63-50 victory Saturday that placed the Boilermakers a win from their first NCAA title.
N.C. State poked and jabbed at the 7-foot-4 Edey and gave him fits over his 40 minutes on the floor, but he still dominated the battle of big men against 6-9, 275-pound Wolfpack forward DJ Burns Jr., who labored to eight points and four assists. DJ Horne led the 11th-seeded Wolfpack with 20 points.
Purdue (34-4) moves on to Monday night’s final to play the winner of the later game between Alabama and defending champion UConn. N.C. State (26-15) ended its season two victories shy of a repeat of 1983, when it came through in nine straight must-win games to capture one of history’s most unlikely titles.
Some might call this run by top-seeded Purdue unlikely, too. The program is in the Final Four for the first time since 1980, only one season after becoming the second top seed to fall in the first round.
Edey and coach Matt Painter’s team have swatted away every challenge so far. They did it this time despite a three-point night from their second-leading scorer, Braden Smith, who shot 1 for 9 (but finished with eight rebounds and six assists).
He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t buy a bucket. The N.C. State team that outscored Duke 55-37 after halftime in the Elite Eight shot 28.6% over the last 20 minutes this time — a cold spell that included open looks galore that simply would not fall.
It made for some ugly hoops. At one stretch early in the second half, the teams missed 10 straight shots between them.
For all Smith’s struggles, he put the final dagger in N.C. State’s season.
It came at the end of a stretch during which Horne shot an airball and Edey swatted N.C. State guard Jayden Taylor’s shot out of the paint, while on the other end, Fletcher Loyer and then Smith made back-to-back 3s.
Smith’s was part of an 8-0 run that pushed Purdue’s lead to 20. The only drama left was whether the Wolfpack would surpass their season low in scoring of 52 points. They did not.
Edey, the back-to-back AP Player of the Year, had his 29th double-double of the season. But this was no easy stroll through the paint for the nation’s leading scorer. N.C. State finished with eight steals. Most came from guards sagging down on Edey and swatting it away.
Horne did OK on Edey. Wolfpack forward Ben Middlebrooks did even better. In the end, though, Edey was just too hard to deal with. He blocked two shots, altered about five others and his inside presence played into N.C. State’s 36% shooting night.
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
veryGood! (28)
Related
- Judge sets April trial date for Sarah Palin’s libel claim against The New York Times
- Ex-Oregon prison nurse convicted of sexually assaulting women in custody gets 30 years
- Detroit casino workers strike in latest labor strife in Michigan
- Marine veteran says he was arrested, charged after Hertz falsely accused him of stealing rental car: It was hell
- Ariana Grande Shares Dad's Emotional Reaction to Using His Last Name in Wicked Credits
- Trump is appealing a narrow gag order imposed on him in his 2020 election interference case
- Vanderpump Rules' Jax Taylor Has a Special Invitation for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce
- Jack in the Box employee stabbed outside of fast food restaurant in California, LAPD says
- Lane Kiffin puts heat on CFP bracket after Ole Miss pounds Georgia. So, who's left out?
- How to Achieve Hailey Bieber's Dewy Skin, According to Her Makeup Artist Katie Jane Hughes
Ranking
- Drone footage captures scope of damage, destruction from deadly Louisville explosion
- Kansas agency investigated girl’s family 5 times before she was killed, a report shows
- Autoworkers used to have lifelong health care and pension income. They want it back
- A’s pitcher Trevor May rips Oakland owner John Fisher in retirement video: ‘Sell the team, dude’
- The Latin Grammys are almost here for a 25th anniversary celebration
- Nicole Avant says she found inspiration in mother's final text message before her death: I don't believe in coincidences
- Manhunt enters second day for 4 Georgia jail escapees. Here's what to know.
- The madness in women's college basketball will continue. And that's a great thing.
Recommendation
-
'Underbanked' households more likely to own crypto, FDIC report says
-
37 years after Florida nurse brutally murdered in her home, DNA analysis helps police identify killer
-
Destruction at Gaza hospital increases stakes for Biden’s trip to Israel and Jordan
-
Four killed in multicar crash on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu
-
Mississippi governor intent on income tax cut even if states receive less federal money
-
Prosecutors seek to recharge Alec Baldwin in the Rust movie shooting
-
North Carolina man arrested for threats against Jewish organization
-
Memo to Joe Manchin, Congress: Stop clutching your pearls as college athletes make money