Ohio State flustered Zach Edey and converted Purdue turnovers into offense on Sunday in a 71-69 upset of the No. 2 Boilermakers.
The loss was just the third of the season for Purdue as it looks to lock up a Big Ten title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Edey was his normal dominant self when he was able to attack the basket. But the Buckeyes repeatedly worked to deny him the ball and forced 13 Purdue turnovers while committing just six.
Edey committed five of those turnovers as smaller defenders repeatedly swiped at the ball down low when the 7-4 center received an entry pass in the post. The turnovers frequently led to buckets on the other end for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes capped a 9-0 run to take a 50-38 lead in the second half by forcing a turnover then converting it into a Jamison Battle 3-pointer on the other end. Moments later, Zed Key stole the ball from Edey in the post to lead to Dale Bonner transition.
THE STEAL AND THE BUCKET FOR @OhioStateHoops ⚡ pic.twitter.com/fjpH1NiShg
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) February 18, 2024
Purdue led by as many as eight points in the first half, then rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second to tie the game at 65-65 in the final two minutes. But Ohio State finished the game on an 8-4 run to secure the upset.
Edey was otherwise dominant when he was able to hoist a shot, finishing with 22 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks on a 7-of-11 effort from the field. But the turnovers were too much for Purdue to overcome as it fell to 12-3 in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers maintain a 1.5-game lead over second-place Illinois (10-4).
