The Stage is set for the final 16 teams to rumble it out in this year’s national championships. After going through their respective first two games, the path to ultimate college basketball glory involves just 4 more steps for each of these elite programs. Having said that, Zach Edey’s Purdue make a strong case for themselves if there is a discussion on the title contenders.

After an early exit last year at the hands of No.16 Fairleigh Dickinson, the Boilermakers have made a resounding comeback. They ensured hefty margin wins in their initial matchups to send a clear message that they are not to be trifled with. Moreover, their future journey also seems to be a favorable one if they manage to realize their true potential.

What is Zach Edey and Co.’s immediate challenge?

After decimating Grambling and Utah State, Zach Edey and Co. have the Bulldogs standing in their way. In a mouth-watering clash on Friday, Purdue will go up against Gonzaga in the Midwest regional semi-finals. Although the Boilermakers outrank the two-time NCAA finalists, the N0.5 seeds have a pretty impressive resume heading into the game. Following their loss in the West Coast Conference championship game against the Gaels, Mark Few’s crew has bounced back resoundingly.

After ending McNeese’s March Madness hopes, the Bulldogs overpowered Bill Self’s Jayhawks in round two. What looked like an evenly matched fixture by the end of the first half was made into a one-sided affair in the second. Yet, repeating it all over again is not going to be a walk in the park for Gonzaga. Further, Purdue’s offensive and defensive forces are far more formidable than Kansas. Hence, breaching Zach Edey and Co. will not be that simple.

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Why Is Purdue’s Zach Edey March Madness’ “New Villain”?

Anyhow, if Purdue can pull off a victory, the road gets slightly tricky for the regular season champs.

Purdue’s final regional hurdle

An Elite Eight game will have the possibility of featuring two of the best players in the country at present. Provided that No.2 ranked Tennessee follows the same path as the Boilermakers, Little Caesars Arena in Detroit will witness a Godzilla vs Kong matchup. While Purdue will rely on the services of their towering NPOY Zach Edey, the Vols have the star transfer Dalton Knecht as their flag bearer. This heavyweight No.1 vs No.2 clash has all the credentials of being the game of the season.

However, facing Creighton won’t be a picnic, either. Unlike Purdue, the Bluejays know a thing or two about competing in the Elite Eight. The thing for Matt Painter to watch out for here is how Creighton can use their previous year’s experience and will be prepared for what Zach Edey and the rest can bring to the table in a game like this. Still, the Boilermaker’s firepower outweighs all their pre-game strategies or game plans.

If everything goes according to plan, the winner from a strong South region will welcome them in the Final Four. To make it a reality, does Purdue have the fitting strength in their locker room?

The dependables in the Purdue roster

It is no news that the Boilermaker’s go-to guy is the Canadian giant Zach Edey. For a chance to enter their first Final Four since 1980, the senior center needs to be at his absolute best. Speaking of which, he showed glimpses of what he can produce on a big stage in both the post-season games.

In the first game against Grambling, he made sure that it wasn’t another early exit for the No.1 Purdue at the hands of a No.16 team for the second season in a row. As it turns out, an emphatic double-double of 30 points and 21 rebounds suppressed the Tigers’ roar as well as their chances. Similarly, he proved that his previous game performance wasn’t a fluke by delivering another masterclass that included 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Even if their reigning national player is having an off day, there are a handful of players who can step up and save the day. Part of the reason why the Boilermakers are currently scoring at an average of 83.9 P.P.G. is their sophomore guard, Braden Smith. His consistency in dishing out 7.3 assists per game makes Purdue the 4th best distributor in the country. At the same time, No. 6′ 6″ forward Mason Gillis has shown that he matches Edey when it comes to securing points from beyond the arc. (47.8 three-point %)

There is a great chance for Purdue this time around to create history. Surviving the initial upset stages with ease, the Boilermakers need to buck up now knowing what to expect in their upcoming games. What does the future hold for them? I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

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