Tag: Zach Edey

Wisconsin HC Greg Gard says Badgers played better than in first loss to Purdue

Agree with Greg Gard?

Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard isn’t ashamed of his team’s effort and resilience in Sunday’s 78-70 loss to No. 3 Purdue.

Speaking postgame, the Badgers head coach said his team played better in Sunday’s loss than it did in February’s 75-69 home loss to the Boilermakers.

“I thought we did a lot of good things,” Gard said. “But again, to come in here and win against this team, you have to make some shots to counter how they plug the paint and obviously with (Zach) Edey inside.”

Related: Wisconsin social media infuriated after Badgers crushing loss to Purdue

Wisconsin shot just 20% from 3 in Sunday’s loss, with five makes in 24 attempts. That was actually an improvement on the team’s shooting compared to the last time the two teams met — a 15.8% effort with three makes in 19 attempts.

Either way, Wisconsin showed impressive resilience in the second half. It cut a large deficit to four points late in the second half and was on the doorstep of a colossal upset win before Purdue pulled away.

The biggest positive was freshman guard John Blackwell, who scored 18 points on 7 of 10 shooting and 2 of 3 from 3. Blackwell is fully healthy and growing into a dangerous offensive threat.

It’s never good to lose. But given Wisconsin’s struggles over the last five weeks, this sign of life may be carry into postseason play.

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Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion. Follow Ben Kenney on X.

WATCH: Zach Edey has a lot of love for Michigan State basketball in Big Ten video

WATCH: Zach Edey has a lot of love for Michigan State basketball in Big Ten video

Purdue Men’s Basketball star Zach Edey has been a villain for Michigan State fans since he arrived on the scene. But it turns out that Edey actually has a lot of appreciation for the Spartans.

In a video for the Big Ten, Zach Edey was asked different questions about Big Ten teams, and he answered Michigan State for many answers, such as favorite uniforms, favorite arena, and the most entertaining coach.

You can watch the full video below:

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Rutgers defense struggles in loss at Purdue

Rutgers basketball has now lost two straight games.

On Thursday night, Rutgers men’s basketball was unable to stop the Purdue Boilermakers’ offense in a 96-68 loss. While Rutgers had performed well in conference play this month, they were unable to replicate their success against the No.3 ranked team in the country.

As Purdue fell four points shy of 100, they were led by Zach Edey. The Toronto native scored 25 points and was tied for the team lead in rebounds with seven. He also got some help from Lance Jones, the game’s second-highest scorer with 15 points.

While Rutgers did allow a lot of easy buckets, Purdue was deadly from beyond the arc. They made 52.2 percent of their three-pointers. Rutgers only shot 38.5 from three-point range.

 

Although this game ended in disappointing fashion for Rutgers, there were a few bright spots. That includes Jeremiah Williams, who scored 12 points and added three rebounds to his resume. He has scored at least 10 points five of Rutgers six games this month.

With only two games left this month, Rutgers will be looking to bounce back on February 25th when they take on Maryland. To beat the Terrapins, Rutgers must be much better at both ends of the court. Rutgers has already beaten Maryland once this month.

Rutgers men’s basketball vs Purdue: Prediction, point spread, odds, best bet

After a few days off, Rutgers men’s basketball is back in action On Thursday night. They will head on the road to take on one of the best teams in the country, the Purdue Boilermakers

After a few days off, Rutgers men’s basketball is back in action On Thursday night. They will head on the road to take on one of the best teams in the country, the Purdue Boilermakers. Through 26 games, they are ranked as the third-best team in the country.

Entering this matchup, Rutgers is 4-1 in their last five games. Their only loss came to Minnesota on February 18. In that game, they were plagued by a slow start and outscored by seven points in the first half. They will also be highly motivated entering this matchup after losing to Purdue earlier this year.

 

In order to stun the college basketball world, Rutgers will need to slow down Zach Edey. The Purdue star has been a points machine and menace on the boards.

Scroll down and check out everything you need to know including television times and betting lines for Thursday’s Big Ten game featuring Rutgers at Purdue!

Rutgers basketball looks to get back on track at Purdue

Rutgers basketball faces a huge game on Thursday at No. 3 Purdue.

After losing their first game of the month to Minnesota last week, Rutgers men’s basketball is back in action Thursday night at No.3 Purdue. With one win against a ranked team already on their resume, Rutgers will be looking to shock the college basketball world.

Purdue (23-3) dropped one spot this week in the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll. Rutgers is 14-11 (6-8 Big Ten).

Entering this matchup, Rutgers is 4-1 in its last five games. During that stretch, they looked much better in conference play and scored at least more than 65 points three times. However, they have a tough challenge ahead in Purdue.

Through 26 games, the Boilermakers have been led by Zach Edey. The Toronto native is averaging 26 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. He has also gotten some help from Lance Jones, who is averaging 12.8 points per game.

 

While Purdue will rely on their two stars, they will also have their hands full with Jeremiah Williams and Clifford Omoruyi. Since making his season debut earlier this month, Williams has averaged 13.2 points per game. Clifford Omoruyi has been a monster on the boards, averaging nine rebounds a game.

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Additionally, Rutgers will be looking for revenge in this matchup. Purdue beat Rutgers 68-60 earlier this season at Jersey Mike’a Arena. With a win on Thursday night, Rutgers would improve its road record and prove that their success this month has been no fluke.

Takeaways from Wisconsin’s deflating loss to No. 2 Purdue

Thoughts on the loss to Purdue?

Wisconsin fell just short of a signature win Sunday afternoon: No. 2 Purdue entered the Kohl Center and escaped with a 75-69 victory.

The Badgers were in it throughout, though always lacked the defining moment or run to take control.

Related: Wisconsin social media irate after the Badgers’ narrow loss to No. 2 Purdue

The loss is the team’s second of the week against a Quad 1 opponent (Thursday at Nebraska). It’s a massive missed opportunity, too. Purdue holds a 1 1/2-game lead atop the Big Ten standings.

There’s a lot to say about the contest and what it means for the Badgers. First, here are our takeaways:

Wisconsin social media irate after the Badgers’ narrow loss to No. 2 Purdue

Social media irate at the refs after the Badgers’ narrow loss to No. 2 Purdue….

No. 6 Wisconsin basketball suffered its second loss of the week, this time at the hands of No. 2 Purdue.

The game was close throughout before several late whistles on Wisconsin defenders and a late Purdue run gave the Boilermakers a 75-69 road win.

Tyler Wahl led the way for the Badgers with likely his best game of the season — 20 points on 10 of 16 shooting, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks.

Related: Power ranking all 18 Big Ten football programs after the 2023 season

But Purdue’s guard-centric attack of Braden Smith and Lance Jones gave the Badgers fits as they worked tirelessly to stop the impact of National Player of the Year candidate Zach Edey.

Wisconsin Badgers social media was irate after the loss, mostly about questionable officiating down the stretch:

2024 NBA Mock Draft: Latest first-round projections at midway point of season

Rookie Wire took a look at the 2024 NBA draft class and where the top prospects stand as of Feb. 1.

The top NBA draft prospects worldwide have collectively reached the second halves of their respective seasons as they look to showcase themselves in front of scouts and executives.

The class this year has seen several players help their stock, while others have struggled and fallen down draft boards. Some players have also dealt with recent injuries and other factors that have prevented them from reaching their potential.

The draft is widely considered open at the top of the board, with several prospects in the conversation to be the first selection. Unlike last year, when Victor Wembanyama was the consensus No. 1 pick, there is no clear-cut choice this year.

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Prospects will continue to see their standing fluctuate over the remaining two-plus months of action on the court as scouts have more time to evaluate them. The sheer unknown atop the draft board should create plenty of storylines to follow over the remainder of the season.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that the draft will be expanded to a two-night format, with the first round set to take place on June 26 at the Barclays Center. The second round will be at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York the following night.

Rookie Wire looked at the class and where the top prospects stand at this point of the season. The order was determined by the reverse order of the NBA standings as of Feb. 1.

Note: Player fit wasn’t necessarily taken into account with each pick. Pick protections and other notes courtesy of Tankathon.

Rutgers men’s basketball nearly beats Purdue

Rutgers men’s basketball almost upset No. 2 Purdue.

Rutgers men’s basketball comeback fell short against No. 2Purdue on Sunday afternoon. In Rutgers 68-60 loss, Boilermakers star Zach Edey made history at Jersey Mike’s Arena.

Edey added 26 points and 12 rebounds to his resume in Purdue’s latest win. As the Toronto native again played a crucial role in Purdue’s success, he became the sixth player in Big Ten conference history to reach the 2,000 point and 1,000 rebound mark. His latest masterpiece was another example of why he is a special player.

While Rutgers could not shock the college basketball world, Clifford Omoruyi and Aundre Hyatt continued to be scoring machines. Hyatt led the way offensively with 15 points. Omoruyi added 13 points of his own while hauling in six rebounds.

 

In this matchup, Rutgers struggled to put together a complete game. They were outscored by 13 points in the first half. The Scarlet Knights also allowed 30 points in the paint and 15 points off turnovers.

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Additionally, Rutgers continued to struggle since the start of the new year. They are now 2-5 since the calendar flipped to January. While Rutgers will only have a few days before their next game, they will have an opportunity to end the month strong against Penn State on Tuesday.

Rutgers men’s basketball faces daunting challenge in Purdue

Rutgers basketball faces a huge challenge against Purdue on Sunday.

On Sunday, Rutgers men’s basketball will face their toughest test of the season when they take on Purdue. The Boilermakers are ranked as the second-best team in the country and have won five straight games. As Rutgers looks to shock the college basketball world, they will need to contain the Purdue offense.

So far this season, Purdue has been led by Zach Edey. The Toronto native is averaging 22.9 points and 11.4 rebounds a game. Edey has reached the 30-point mark three times in his last five games. He has gotten some help from Lance Jones, who is averaging 12.5 points per game.

While Edey and Jones are a talented duo, they will be tasked with stopping Clifford Omoruyi. The Rutgers center is coming off a 22-point performance against Illinois. It was the first time he reached the 20-point mark since December 16.

 

 

Although Rutgers has struggled in conference play this year, they will have home-court advantage. At Jersey Mike’s Arena, they are 9-1. With plenty on the line, Sunday should be full of fireworks regardless of the final score.

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Additionally, Purdue has struggled against Rutgers in recent years, losing five of the past seven meetings. They have also lost three straight games in Piscataway. Sunday’s matchup represents a perfect chance for Rutgers to continue their success and move up in the Big Ten standings.