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Zach Edey, Purdue power their way into NCAA title game, beating N.C. State 63-50

There was more than one team that came to the Final Four with a dream — more than one team hoping to add its own unforgettable chapter to college basketball’s colorful history book. Zach Edey and Purdue have been thinking big all year, and after snuffing out North Carolina State’s magical season with a 63-50 victory Saturday, it’s the Boilermakers who find themselves a win away from the program’s first NCAA title.

Quick Read

  • Purdue Advances: Purdue Boilermakers defeated North Carolina State Wolfpack 63-50, positioning themselves just one victory away from clinching the program’s inaugural NCAA title.
  • Historical Context: This victory marks Purdue’s first Final Four appearance since 1980, while N.C. State hoped to recreate their miraculous 1983 championship run but fell short.
  • Dominant Performance: Zach Edey, Purdue’s 7-foot-4 center, was pivotal in the win, contributing 20 points and 12 rebounds while playing the entire game.
  • Challenging Matchup: Despite facing stiff resistance, particularly from N.C. State’s DJ Burns Jr., Edey managed to lead Purdue to victory.
  • Struggle for Both Sides: The game was characterized by tough defensive play, resulting in low shooting percentages for both teams.
  • Purdue’s Path to Victory: Key moments, including a decisive 8-0 run led by Purdue, extended their lead and secured the win.
  • N.C. State’s Effort: Despite a spirited performance, N.C. State struggled with shooting accuracy, ultimately unable to overcome Purdue’s defense.
  • Purdue’s Title Dreams: Purdue now has the opportunity to achieve their season-long goal of winning the national championship in their upcoming final match against Connecticut.

The Associated Press has the story:

Zach Edey, Purdue power their way into NCAA title game, beating N.C. State 63-50

Newslooks- GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) —

There was more than one team that came to the Final Four with a dream — more than one team hoping to add its own unforgettable chapter to college basketball’s colorful history book.

Zach Edey and Purdue have been thinking big all year, and after snuffing out North Carolina State’s magical season with a 63-50 victory Saturday, it’s the Boilermakers who find themselves a win away from the program’s first NCAA title.

Purdue center Zach Edey (15) and NC State forward Ben Middlebrooks battle for the ball during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

“It’s the one we’ve been talking about all year,” said Edey, the 7-foot-4 center who played all 40 minutes and finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

For the past three weeks, though, a lot of the country has been caught up in N.C. State. The Wolfpack, 11th-seeded dreamers, were dialing up a classic reboot of 1983, when they won nine straight postseason games to capture an unlikely title that left their frenetic coach, Jim Valvano, running onto the court looking for someone to hug.

In 2024, the Wolfpack went 9 for 9 under similar must-win conditions to get this far.

Only this time, they came two wins short of glory.

Purdue center Zach Edey, right, backs down NC State forward Ben Middlebrooks during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

“Didn’t get the big one,” said N.C. State guard DJ Horne, who finished with 20 points. “But it’s definitely a big accomplishment in my career.”

N.C. State aside, some might call this run by top-seeded Purdue as inconceivable as anything in college hoops this year.

This is a program well-versed in the art of disappointment and missed expectations. Edey retuned for his senior season and led the Boilermakers to the Final Four for the first time since 1980 — one season after they became the second No. 1 seed to fall in the first round.

Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer (2) celebrates with guard Braden Smith (3) after scoring against North Carolina State during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The Boilermakers (34-4), top-seeded again, will play Connecticut, an 86-72 winner over Alabama in the second semifinal, for the title on Monday night.

“The reason I came back is for playing games like this,” Edey said. “It’s the reason I’m playing college basketball for four years, to finally get this game, big-time.”

Purdue center Zach Edey (15) blocks the shot of NC State guard Casey Morsell during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

N.C. State (26-15) poked and jabbed at Edey and gave him fits through the entire slugfest of a game. He still dominated the battle of big men against 6-9, 275-pound Wolfpack forward DJ Burns Jr., who labored to eight points and four assists.

Burns wasn’t the only one having trouble finding the basket. The N.C. State team that outscored Duke 55-37 after halftime in the Elite Eight — the team that had, in fact, outscored seven of nine opponents in the second half since its season became a win-or-go-home affair — shot 28.6% over the last 20 minutes this time.

Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer celebrates during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game against NC State at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

It didn’t help that guard Michael O’Connell pulled up lame with a bad left hamstring halfway through the first half. More than that, though, the Wolfpack had too many great looks at open shots that simply would not fall.

“The biggest difference is that some of the shots we normally make we didn’t make,” Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said. “It kind of got away from us a little bit.”

It made for some ugly hoops. At one stretch early in the second half, the teams missed 10 straight shots between them.

NC State forward DJ Burns Jr. (30) dishes off as Purdue center Zach Edey defends during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

“Obviously it was one of those grinder games,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

The shooting troubles cut both ways. Purdue’s second-leading scorer this season, Braden Smith, finished 1 for 9 for three points (but also had eight rebounds and six assists). For all his troubles, though, he put the final dagger in N.C. State’s season.

Purdue guard Lance Jones (55) celebrates during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game against NC State at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

It came near the end of a stretch during which Horne shot an airball and Edey swatted N.C. State guard Jayden Taylor’s shot out of the paint, while on the other end, Fletcher Loyer and then Smith made back-to-back 3s.

North Carolina State guard Breon Pass sits on the locker room after the NCAA college basketball game against Purdue at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

It was part of an 8-0 run that pushed Purdue’s lead to 20. The only drama left was whether the Wolfpack would surpass their season low in scoring of 52 points. They did not.

Purdue center Zach Edey (15) battles for the ball with North Carolina State forward Ben Middlebrooks (34) during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Edey, the back-to-back AP Player of the Year, grabbed his 10th rebound with 8:52 left to secure his 29th double-double of the season. But this was no easy stroll through the paint for the nation’s leading scorer. N.C. State finished with eight steals. Most came from guards sagging down on Edey and swatting it away.

North Carolina State forward DJ Burns Jr. (30) wipes his face after their loss against Purdue during a NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Burns did OK on Edey. Wolfpack forward Ben Middlebrooks did even better.

North Carolina State forward Mohamed Diarra (23) sits on the bench during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game against Purdue at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

In the end, Purdue’s big man was just too hard to deal with. On defense, he blocked two shots, altered about five others and his inside presence played into N.C. State’s 36% shooting night. On offense, he went 9 for 14 from the field. After the game, he accepted congratulations from none other than Shaquille O’Neal.

Purdue guard Lance Jones (55) celebrates a basket against NC State during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )

“He’s a tall guy,” Burns said. “If you let him get to his spots, he’s going to make his shots. We cleaned it up, but it was a little too late.”

And so, a team that had a four-game losing streak and a looming date with the couch before the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament came close to living out a dream.

Purdue fans cheer during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game against NC State at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Instead, that chance belongs to Purdue.

“It’s everything we’ve worked for, everything we thought about,” Loyer said. “A lot of late nights where you can’t even sleep because you’re thinking about it.”

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