Purdue Clinches Final Four Berth In Thrilling Win Over Tennessee That Was A Brutal Battle From The Start

The Purdue Boilermakers needed Zach Edey to lead them to their first Final Four in the past 40 years, and that's exactly how it played out during an absolute battle against Tennessee in Detroit on Sunday.

We were wondering how this battle of two juggernauts would play-out on the court as it concerned the officiating, and it was clear from the start that they had no idea how to referee this game. I told you earlier Sunday that this game would turn into a WWE type matchup, and this is exactly what we witnessed in the Midwest Final. 

Both teams had their chances on separation during this intense battle, with Tennessee leading by 11 points in the first half. But that turned out not to be enough to keep Purdue from finding its way back into the game, thanks to the Vols going cold from the field. But it was also the play of Zach Edey that frustrated the Tennessee defense, especially around the basket. 

"Yeah, we don't take Zach for granted. So like some of the nights -- he should have got 50 tonight, if he makes his free throws," Purdue head coach Matt Painter said postgame about Zach Edey. "I thought he would get 50. I know the season is not over, but I thought he'd get 50 in a game this year."

Having only sat for :33 seconds the game, Edey was one of the biggest storylines during this game, only being called for one foul during the 40-minute fight. But one of the bigger problems for Tennessee came on offense, with the Vols mainly getting their points from Dalton Knecht, who finished with 37 points, causing multiple problems for Purdue's defense. 

But at the end of day, it was the Boilermakers taking advantage of the Vols scoring droughts, going over 4-minutes three times to allow Purdue to find separation 

"DK (Dalton Knecht), he's a fighter. Every night he's going to do what he did tonight," Zakai Zeigler said postgame. "We think he's the best player in the country. That will always be how I see him in my eyes, best player in the country.

"Purdue, they did their thing. They won the game. Hopefully they'll go out and win the next game also. We just didn't execute some stuff, and Coach always told us it comes down to little things."

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MARCH 31: Dalton Knecht #3 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates a three point basket against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 31, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

For Zach Edey, his 40 points was the catalyst of the Purdue win, and his presence in the paint forced Rick Barnes to play multiple defenders on the 7'4 big man. If the Boilermakers can get this type of output from Edey in Phoenix, they could easily be fighting UConn for a chance to cut down the nets in the desert next week. 

As for Tennessee, it was tough for anyone else besides Dalton Knecht to get going during the game. Sure, there was the occasional basket from Josiah-Jordan James or Jordan Gainey, but the Vols were pushed around in the paint, whether the officials should have called this game more freely is up for discussion. 

The foul discrepancy will be discussed for a while, especially for the folks in Knoxville who had to watch Purdue get a few interesting calls. But that's on the officials for letting it get lopsided. The Boilermakers took advantage of the poor shooting from Tennessee during long stretches, and they paid for it. 

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MARCH 31: Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates a basket against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Little Caesars Arena on March 31, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Rick Barnes had his best team during his tenure in Knoxville, and came up one game short of capitalizing on the goal of making his first Final Four as the Tennessee head coach. One of the most glaring problems with Tennessee was the Vols inability to drive the basket, with such a monster like Zah Edey guarding inside. 

But in terms of making a run to the elite-eight, this was arguably the best squad Rick Barnes has put together since his time in Knoxville, and for a player like Josiah-Jordan James, his six years at Tennessee has come to an end. 

"It's hard to put into words, like the pain that I feel right now, but it's even harder to put into words like the joy and the happiness I've gotten from being around this team, this university for the past five years," James said following the loss. "These guys mean so much to me.

"I can't really describe it, but I love them. I love them so much."

Purdue went 3 of 15 from 3-point range, and ended up winning, which goes to show you how important Zach Edey was for the Boilermakers. 

One of the best moments you will see this tournament actually came during the postgame celebration, as Zach Edey cut down a part of the net and gave it to legendary Purdue coach Gene Keady, who Edey says built this foundation. 

"You've always got to pay respect to those that came first. He built this," Edey said about Keady. "It doesn't go over our heads. He helped set this all up. To be able to pay him back and give him a little piece of net, it's the least I can do."

Now, this Matt Painter led squad will head out west for a shot at playing for a national championship. If they play like they did Sunday, we might be talking about someone besides UConn raising the trophy.