Sophomore guards lift No. 4 Purdue to win over top-ranked Arizona
INDIANAPOLIS − Tommy Lloyd had a plan to limit Zach Edey.
Against Purdue men’s basketball, you pick your poison and Arizona’s coach threw his tandem of 7-footers at Edey.
Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith made the Wildcats pay.
Purdue’s sophomore guard duo combined for 53 points in the fourth-ranked Boilermakers’ 92-84 win over top-ranked Arizona at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The Wildcats (8-1) used an 11-0 run in the second half to narrow a 15-point lead to four, but could get no closer.
It marks Purdue’s first win over the No. 1 team since beating, coincidentally, Arizona in Indianapolis in 2000.
It was over when
The Boilermakers (10-1) had gone 8:25 without a field goal before Edey put back a missed Loyer one-hand floater. That came with 6:44 to go.
With the lid lifted off the rim, Edey scored again, followed by 3s from Lance Jones and Smith. When Edey scored with 3:35 to go, putting Purdue ahead 83-73, the place came unglued as the Boilers were clearly in control.
3 stars
Fletcher Loyer, Purdue: Loyer had those Maui Invitational semifinal vs. Tennessee vibes. By halftime, he’d ripped Arizona for 18 points and matched his career-high from that Nov. 21 game with 27 points on Saturday. And just as was the case against the Volunteers, it was Loyer’s active defense that set him apart.
Braden Smith, Purdue: Back-to-back big scoring games on neutral courts. Smith had 26 and shot 15 times. In the last two games, Smith has taken 35 field goal attempts and Purdue won both in high-scoring affairs. It is the only two times Smith has attempted more than 13 shots in his career.
Zach Edey, Purdue: Credit the Wildcats for doing a good job on Edey, probably better than anyone else this season. That just tells you how good Edey is. Purdue’s 7-foot-4 center still ended up with 22 points, nine rebounds and a career-high five assists.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.