NCAA Basketball: Akron and Purdue with 2023 Players of the Week
By Bryan Mauro
![Nov 10, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) celebrates a basket during the first half against the Morehead State Eagles at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports Nov 10, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) celebrates a basket during the first half against the Morehead State Eagles at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/8a2da7b0c426c97f3bcacca3b33cca28de154a96de81a1d2962668428a421953.jpg)
Power Conference Player of the Week – Zach Edey
This player should need no introduction. He is about as big of a name as you can possibly find in College Basketball. Zach Edey is a big name because well, he is big he is 7’4” tall. In addition to that he plays for a top five team in the country, and he is the reigning National Player of the Year and the favorite to win that award again this season. He has won this award from Busting Brackets numerous times and will likely win it again this year.
Edey had a huge week in two wins. In a win over Iowa the big man went for 25 points and 13 rebounds. He was 9-10 from the floor and 7-9 from the free throw line. Then in a win over Alabama the big man dominated. He scored 35 points on 12-20 shooting and 11-11 from the line. He only had 7 rebounds in that game, but it was what he did on the offensive end that earned him the award this week. It was the second 35-point game that the Boilermaker star has had in a week and he is doing it against good competition which elevates it a lot.
Edey is 7’4” so he is going to be good in the post but the part of his game that separates him from the rest is his ability to shoot free throws. He is a great free throw shooter and is not a big man that you are able to foul just to slow the game down and put him on the line. Doing that is not something that usually works because Edey just isn’t going to miss free throws. Expect the big man to be given this award again this year probably multiple times. He can dominate a game in the paint and at the free throw line. Congratulations to Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers.
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There are going to be huge performances again this week. I take every game against Divison 1 opponents into consideration. Who do you think are going to be the players of the week next week? Check back to see who they are.