Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15) shoots over Rutgers Scarlet Knights center Clifford Omoruyi (11) during the first half, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024 in Piscataway, N.J. Credit: Andrew Mills via TNS.
The name Zach Edey may ring bells to basketball fans.
The Purdue senior center is one of the most dominant players in college basketball this season, and has only gotten better in each of his four seasons with the Boilermakers.
Edey swept all six major National Player of the Year Awards last season and looks to be putting up a resume to do the same again.
So how can a Buckeyes team that lacks size stop the 7-foot-4 big man from scoring at will?
It’s going to have to be a team effort, but it all starts with Ohio State sophomore center Felix Okpara. Okpara, who stands at 6 feet, 11 inches tall, is the only rotational player on the Buckeye roster that can match up to Edey height-wise.
At a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Okpara is an excellent shot blocker and has the athleticism to keep up with Edey defensively.
Despite a near 70-pound weight differential, Okpara will have to win the positioning battle against Edey. The Buckeye bigs will need to attempt to drive Edey outside of the paint and off the block where he thrives, forcing him to catch the ball far from the basket.
Edey’s matchup, whether that’s Okpara or senior forward Zed Key, needs to prevent Edey from sealing them off to the basket on the block, as he’s able to take high-percentage hooks and dunks from close inside.
Interim head coach Jake Diebler may opt to put in freshman center Austin Parks if Okpara and Key get into foul trouble. The 6-foot-10 big man is inexperienced compared to the other Buckeyes, but he should have the size and weight to match up with the Purdue center.
When Edey does catch the ball, Buckeye guards and forwards will need to have their head on a swivel. In four years of college basketball, Edey has seen about every defensive coverage imaginable, so catching him off guard is vital.
Sophomore guards Bruce Thornton and Roddy Gayle Jr. and fifth-year forward Jamison Battle and others will have to use their peripheral vision, waiting to attack the ball when Edey turns to either force a steal or a pass away from the basket.
Purdue often works to send an entry pass from the strong side of the floor to a sealing Edey on the block, so when a Boilermaker guard sends the entry to the post, Ohio State will need to be prepared to send a double team.
The Boilermakers will employ a trio of guards that account for the majority of distributing and scoring outside of Edey: fifth-year Lance Jones, and sophomores Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith.
Smith will be the primary distributor for Purdue during entry passes in most scenarios, but all will see action with Edey. This makes Purdue particularly dangerous as all three guards are shooting above 40% from deep this season.
Diebler’s squad is going to need to be actively rotating after each double, cutting off the pass to the next closest Boilermaker to prevent easy opportunities to swing the basketball for open looks.
The Buckeyes can also attempt to crowd Edey’s side of the floor, forcing the ball to the weak side by limiting his space to operate with more defenders.
Purdue will run sets where it involves Edey in the pick and roll. In these situations, Ohio State can run drop coverage, where the Buckeye defender guarding Edey drops to the basket after the Boilermaker center sets a screen to protect a wide-open lane to the basket.
In head coach Matt Painter’s Purdue offense, there is a lot of motion and ball movement, with the offense trying to get the defense out of position by moving the ball around the floor for open lanes to the basket and jump shots.
With all of Purdue’s offensive movement, Ohio State needs to be smart and avoid getting out of position by unnecessarily reaching, while communicating around on and off-ball screens.
The Buckeyes should also look to attack Edey offensively, as being aggressive and getting the big man in foul trouble could allow the Buckeyes to take control of the game without his strong inside presence.
This Ohio State squad is sure to have their hands full Sunday when they take on the Big Ten leading Boilermakers at 1 p.m. at Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center.
The game will stream on CBS.
