Edey’s Return Means It’s Final Four Or Bust For Boilermakers

At just after 9 p.m. last Wednesday news broke that Purdue’s 7-foot-4 superstar Zach Edey would put his NBA dreams on hold for a year and return to college basketball for his senior season, meaning the Boilermakers will be a strong favorite to repeat as Big Ten champions and be an odds-on-favorite to make the Final Four.

Of course Purdue hasn’t made a Final Four since 1980 and its last three losses in the NCAA Tournament have come to Nos. 13, 15 and 16 seeds.

To say the last three exits in the Big Dance have been nightmarish is an understatement.

Since bowing out of the ’23 Field of 68 in March, becoming just the second No. 1 seed in history to lose to a 16-seed (Fairleigh Dickinson), the Boilermakers have been the brunt of punch line after punch line, and deservedly so.

Given the latest tournament setback, it’s hard to believe Purdue came within one tenth of a second from advancing to the 2019 Final Four, yet its last three tournament losses seems to have really tarnished any and all regular-season accomplishments.

In the last nine seasons, the Boilermakers have averaged more than 24 victories (222 wins during that span), but their four first-round NCAA exits in their last eight trips have the faithful doubting the program’s ability to win and win big during the most important time of the year.

Perhaps Purdue’s postseason mishaps can be put to rest now that one of the most dominating players the college game has ever seen has opted to return to West Lafayette.

With the consensus National Player-of-the-Year in Edey returning, 2023-24 will be one of the most anticipated seasons in Boilermaker history, and Purdue and its fan base can only hope those recent NCAA failures quickly become a thing of the past.

Yes, come next postseason all of Boilermaker Country will hold its collective breath with each and every game, but one thing is certain … Edey can etch his name among the legends in Boiler lore.

The big man can leave Purdue as its all-time leading scorer, passing the great Rick Mount (2,323 points). With 791 points, Edey can do just that (he had 757 a season ago).

Edey can also be the school’s most prolific rebounder, eclipsing the mark set by Joe Barry Carroll (1,148 rebounds). Edey needs 302 rebounds to be No. 1 at Purdue (he grabbed 438 last season).

Yes, Edey can leave West Lafayette as arguably Purdue’s greatest basketball player ever. Wow, that’s quite a mouthful to say the least.

In addition, he could leave an indelible mark on college basketball.

No player since Virginia’s Ralph Sampson in 1980-81 and 1981-82 has been the consensus National Player-of-the-Year in consecutive seasons. Edey could be.

With Edey’s return, Purdue welcomes back every starter, its top four scorers and seven of its top nine scorers from a team that won 29 games, won the Big Ten by three games, was ranked No. 1 in the country for more than a month and was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

With so much experience returning plus Edey, who to say the least is a force few in the college game can deal with, anything short of a Final Four appearance will be considered a major disappointment.

Such high hopes are warranted.

After all, Edey a year ago averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game, becoming the first collegiate player in 20 years to average at least 22 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks a game.

Furthermore, Edey, the Boilermakers’ fourth consensus All-American in the last seven years (Caleb Swanigan, Carsen Edwards and Jaden Ivey were the others), was one of nine players in NCAA basketball history to lead a major conference in scoring, rebounds and field goal percentage (60.7 percent).

In addition, Edey became the first player in NCAA history with at least 750 points, 400 rebounds, 70 blocks and 50 assists in a season.  

No doubt Edey gives Purdue a weapon no other team in America has.

However, Edey is only one player and the Boilermakers found out the hard way last season that they will advance in the NCAA Tournament only if their guards play well, the team shoots well and takes care of the basketball.

Painter will have the luxury of returning a ton of talent. He will coach arguably the deepest, most athletic and talented Purdue team ever. 

Finding enough playing time for such a talented roster will be one of the challenges Painter will face.

Another challenge will be living up to the hype, and there’s been a bevy of that already.

Purdue is ranked in the top five in the majority of the “early Top-25 polls” and will have a bullseye on its back all season.

Will the Boilermakers be as good as advertised and have a season for the ages or will they continue to be cursed in the NCAA Tournament?

One thing is certain Edey will be a force to be reckoned with, which gives Purdue a very big advantage over its competition. Can Edey lead the Boilermakers to the promise land (a.k.a. the Final Four)? If he does, he will leave Purdue as one of its greatest players ever.

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