WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Zach Edey was dominant, but Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said the rest of Purdue’s team deserves credit too.
Edey scored 25 points and had 12 rebounds as No. 4 Purdue bounced back from its first loss of the season and blew past Iowa 87-68 on Monday night.
“He’s difficult, but I think you have to give credit to the rest of the guys that are out there for them,” McCaffery said. “They really executed tonight in terms of screening and cutting and ball movement which makes it really hard if you’re trying to focus on him. Obviously, they’re not a one man show at all. They have shooters, they have drivers, they have size. They stretch your defense in ways that makes it very difficult.”
Edey hit 9 of 10 shots and 7 of 9 free throws while sitting out much of the second half. Lance Jones added 17 points for Purdue (8-1, 1-1 Big Ten), playing its first game since a 92-88 overtime loss to Northwestern on Friday.
Mason Gillis and Fletcher Loyer each scored 12 and Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 10.
Ben Krikke led the Hawkeyes (5-3, 0-1) with 16 points and Tony Perkins added 12.
The Boilermakers, who never trailed, kept building on their 21-point halftime lead most of the second half before going to their reserves. Purdue’s largest lead was 35 points at 72-37.
Purdue, which held a 41-35 rebounding edge, shot 52% while holding Iowa to 38% shooting.
Gillis sank a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left in first half to give Purdue a 45-24 halftime lead. The Hawkeyes shot 32% in the first half, making only 1 of 9 3-point shots. The Boilermakers shot 48% before intermission, making 6 of 17 3-pointers.
“I just thought we were aggressive against their press,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “When we got the ball out of our hands and had space, our guys really advanced it with the pass and dribbles. Our guys did a good job of being receivers and flashing.”
Jones and Braden Smith, who had eight assists, both did a strong job with diagonal passes, Painter said.
“Braden played great and he only made one shot,” he said.
BIG PICTURE
Iowa: The Hawkeyes struggled shooting and were outrebounded. Iowa had no answer for Edey. Purdue outscored Iowa 50-34 in the paint. The lone positive is that Iowa held a 44-42 second-half scoring edge.
Purdue: The Boilermakers had a nice bounce back after being upset by host Northwestern. That was the second consecutive time No. 1 Purdue was upset by the Wildcats. Purdue committed just eight turnovers against Iowa compared to 17 in the loss at Northwestern.
BIG IMPACT
Southern Illinois transfer Lance Jones has been a key factor in Purdue’s first nine games. Jones sank 7 of 11 shots against Iowa.
“He’s an athlete,” McCaffery said. “He can push it. He can play fast. He can play half court. He can make 3s and works hard defensively. So you add a veteran guy like that and now you’re bringing guys like Mason Gillis, Ethan Morton, Caleb Furst off the bench. They would be starting for most teams.”
UP NEXT
Iowa: At Iowa State on Thursday before returning to Big Ten action against visiting Michigan on Sunday.
Purdue: Plays Alabama on Saturday in Canada at the Hall of Fame Toronto Series.
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