2. Purdue (23-2)
It hasn’t quite been just the Zach Edey show in West Lafayette, but the Boilermakers are certainly profiting with the nation’s best big man. This Purdue team is filled with talent and Matt Painter has them playing inspired basketball yet again this season. Shaking off a tough loss at Ohio State a few weeks back, the Boilermakers have another hot streak going and are hoping to end the regular season on this high note.
Way back on Sunday they toughened out an 84-76 road win at Michigan. Edey played exceptionally well with 35 points and 15 rebounds while Braden Smith had 11 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds in the win. Saturday’s action was more exciting, as Purdue hung on for an 80-74 home win over Michigan State. Edey had 32 points and 11 rebounds as the Boilermakers dispatched of the Spartans, also getting 23 from Smith in their third-straight win.
Purdue has all but won the Big Ten regular season crown and look like a certainty to be a top-seed in the Big Dance once more. The attention soon turns to avoiding repeating last year’s mistakes, but we won’t focus on Fairleigh Dickinson. This year’s team is different, more mature, and more talented. The Boilermakers are capable of greatness; we’ll see how they handle a trip to Illinois this upcoming Tuesday.