Zach Edey has first 30-20 March Madness game since 1995, No. 1 seed Purdue routs Grambling State
Zach Edey finished with 30 points and 21 rebounds to become the first player in 29 years in the NCAA Tournament with a 30-20 game, leading top-seeded Purdue to a 78-50 rout over 16th-seeded Grambling State
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Zach Edey had the first 30-point, 20-rebound game in the NCAA Tournament since 1995, delivering on his promise to end the discussion about first-round March Madness exits by leading top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers past 16th-seeded Grambling State 78-50 on Friday night.
The greatest scorer and rebounder in school history finished with 30 points and 21 rebounds in 30 minutes, going 11 of 17 from the field. When he did miss, he often scored on putbacks or drew fouls. Defensively, he constantly challenged the Tigers with his 7-foot-4, 300-pound body, blocked shots, and gobbled up even more rebounds as he set up a second-round contest Sunday against either eighth-seeded Utah State or ninth-seeded TCU.
How good was Edey? The last player with a 30-20 game in the tournament was Joe Smith of Maryland on March 18, 1995.
Braden Smith added 11 points and 10 assists for the Boilermakers (30-4), who tied the school's single-season record for victories. Purdue had a 48-23 rebounding advantage.
