Purdue overwhelms Gonzaga with barrage of 3s, too much Zach Edey to advance to Elite 8 WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio [Video]

Purdue’s offense is a lot more than Zach Edey. It’s a lesson Gonzaga learned the hard way Friday as the Boilermakers secured an 80-68 win over the Bulldogs in the Sweet 16.

Gonzaga focused its defense on Edey early, repeatedly double-teaming him in the post and on pick-and-rolls. Purdue’s lethal halfcourt offense responded with a 7-of-13 effort from 3-point distance in the first half.

When Gonzaga responded by showing Edey single coverage in the second half, the 7-4 All-American backed down his smaller defenders and scored. It’s a lethal inside-out combination that has Purdue near the top of the short list of remaining contenders for the national title.

For much of the game, Gonzaga kept pace with its own scorching offense. The Bulldogs shot 51.7% from the field in the first half and kept things close as Purdue carried a 40-36 lead into the break. When Purdue pulled away early …