Can Purdue go all the way? No. 1 seed downs Gonzaga in Sweet 16. Final score, highlights
Is this the year Purdue finally returns to the Final Four?
The No. 1 seeded Boilermakers are knocking on the door after dispatching No. 5 Gonzaga 80-68 in the Sweet 16 on Friday to advance to the Elite Eight.
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The first half was a back-and-forth affair, but Purdue slowly asserted itself as the game went along.
Like usual, big man Zach Edey led the way with a game-high 27 points and 14 rebounds. He hit 7-of-10 free throws – he was actually the only Purdue player to attempt foul shots – and his presence inside helped contribute to Gonzaga foul trouble (forwards Graham Ike and Anton Watson both fouled out, and Ben Gregg picked up three fouls all in the first half).
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But Edey was only part of the story. In the first half, Purdue’s torrid 3-point shooting was the headline. The Boilermakers splashed home seven shots from deep and added two more after halftime. They finished 9-for-20 from 3-point range.
Overall, the Boilers shot 32-for-56 from the field (57.1%) and began to hammer away in the paint in the second half. Gonzaga shot 49.2% overall but couldn’t keep up in the end with a team that spent much of this season ranked No. 1.
Purdue guard Braden Smith joined Edey in the double-double club, scoring 14 points and dishing 15 assists. Fletcher Loyer and Lance Jones also scored in double figures.
The Boilermakers will play the Creighton-Tennessee winner in the Elite Eight, which they last reached in 2019. Purdue has not reached the Final Four since 1980.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Purdue vs. Gonzaga final score: No. 1 seed advances in March Madness
