Purdue’s Loyer Delivers In Clutch Yet Again
The third-ranked Boilermakers pulled out their fourth Big Ten road win of the season Monday at Michigan State, and did so in thrilling fashion, but what else is new?
The 64-63 triumph improved Purdue’s record to a stellar 17-1 overall, 6-1 in the Big Ten. Three of the Boilermakers’ four league road wins have been decided by a total of six points.
Only one other time in its history has Purdue started a season 17-1, and that was in 1987-88.
Against the Spartans, 7-foot-4 junior Zach Edey put his stamped on why he’s the consensus National Player-of-the-Year at this point of the season, pouring in a career-high 32 points to go along with 17 rebounds.
In the last 25 seasons, Edey is the only Big Ten player with multiple 30-point, 15-rebound games in a season.
Edey’s efforts were even more amazing when you consider how physical the officials allowed MSU to be defending him in the post. The Spartans were hanging on the Toronto Tower, trying to push him off the blocks, but it didn’t matter on this day Edey would not be denied.
With Purdue trailing 63-62, Boilermaker head coach Matt Painter designed a play to get the ball to his big man during a timeout.
“It was something simple,” Painter said. “We were going to go to him. Obviously he’s a tough cover.”
Point guard Braden Smith dribbled the ball up the floor, passed it to guard Fletcher Loyer, who then fed Edey about a 25-foot entry pass on the block. Edey turned one way, dribbled and turned the other and easily laid the ball in with two seconds to go.
Michigan State had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but when its desperation three-pointer didn’t draw iron Purdue had notched an important road win in front of a sellout crowd of 14,797 in the Breslin Center.
Edey was magnificent. He recorded his 10th straight double-double, which ranks as the third longest in Purdue history (just two behind Terry Dischinger’s mark of 12 set in 1959-60).
Edey finished 13-of-26 from the field and knocked down 6-of-7 free throws.
As good as Edey was, Loyer perhaps was even more impressive.
Get this … the freshman from Fort Wayne scored or assisted on 14 straight points in the final 4:15 of the game.
Loyer tallied 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, hit all five of his free throws and had four assists.
With the game on the line, he scored driving to the basket, was fouled and converted the traditional three-point play. On the play, he was knocked to the ground and somehow got the ball to bank in off the glass.
Then with 32 seconds remaining, he knocked down a pair of free throws to give Purdue a 62-61 lead, which was short-lived when Tyson Walker hit a jumper with 12 ticks left giving his team a one-point advantage.
Walker poured in 30 points to lead the Spartans.
Then came what I call “The Painter Tic-Tac-Toe Play.” Smith to Loyer to Edey for the game winner.
Loyer’s entry pass to Edey was as good as it gets. Not only was it made from about 25-feet out, but it was thrown perfectly to his correct hand and had enough air under it that allowed Edey to buy another step to get closer to the basket. Loyer made the pass look easy, but in reality it was anything but.
In the postgame press conference, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo voiced his displeasure with the officiating in reference to guarding Edey.
“We tried to push him out, but when we pushed him out the time before, they called a foul that I did not think was necessary,” Izzo explained. “One guy’s pushing out, one guy’s pushing in. One guy’s 400 pounds and one guy’s 150. I’m sick of it.”
Izzo recruited Loyer’s older brother, Foster, whose Michigan State career was short lived as he ended up transferring to Davidson.
Interestingly enough, The Izzone, the name of Michigan State’s student section, continually chanted “Foster’s better” at Fletcher throughout the game. Hardly.
Loyer’s play continues to amaze.
He’s playing well beyond his freshman status would suggest.
I knew he was a very good shooter coming out of high school, but what I didn’t know is how he has a tremendous ability to get to the basket and score, not to mention bury a step-back jumper in your face.
Loyer’s skill set prompts the ‘Wow Factor’.
Remember Purdue is one defensive stop away from behind undefeated and Loyer having not one game-winning shot, but two as he hit a three-pointer against Rutgers that looked like it might be the game-winner.
On Tuesday, Loyer was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week and Big Ten Freshman of the Week. You can bet there will be many more of those awards coming Loyer’s way in the near future.
Next up for Loyer and his Boilermakers is another road game at 7 p.m. ET Thursday against 7-9 Minnesota. If Purdue beats the Golden Gophers, who are 1-5 in the Big Ten, in Williams Arena, it will move to 18-1 on the season and be its best start ever.
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