Zach Edey

ANALYSIS
Edey was cooking early, muscling through Donovan Clingan, showing off some bag work in the post, converting tough hook shots and freeing up Purdue's guards in the midrange throughout the first half. However, Purdue's guard play was the swing factor that failed to materialize for the Boilermakers, as Lance Jones (five points) dealt with foul trouble, Fletcher Loyer (zero points) looked overmatched and Braden Smith (12 points, 4-12 FG) wasn't at his sharpest. Mason Gillis (zero points) and Purdue as a whole (1-7 3Pt) struggled to embrace a core element of the identity as a team who reigns in 40.4 percent of their threes. Edey is always the centerpiece, but Purdue's potency that comes from kick outs punishing doubles and quick ball movement was stagnant Sunday. UConn pulling away in the second half can largely be attributed to Clingan and Samson Johnson working away at Edey, sparing the need of doubles and shading heavily to Edey's right hand. The latter represents a facet of Edey's game that will need improvement for prolonged success at the next level, symbolizing the importance of offensive versatility for the two-time reigning collegiate Player of the Year.