EAST LANSING — Massive Purdue huge man Zach Edey confirmed why he may very well be the Big Ten’s finest participant.
Diminutive Michigan State basketball guard Tyson Walker confirmed why he may be the league’s most clutch.
In the top, measurement issues.
Edey scored a career-high 32 factors with 17 rebounds, hitting a layup with 2.2 seconds to play to assist the third-ranked Boilermakers escape Breslin Center with a hard-fought 64-63 victory Monday afternoon.
Walker — who beat Purdue final yr at Breslin with a step-back 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds left for a 68-65 win — appeared to hit the upset-making shot once more. The senior guard hunted and pecked his approach into the paint within the ultimate 20 seconds, backed out to the appropriate wing, delivered a crossover dribble to free himself and hit a bounce shot with 10.8 seconds to play over the Boilermakers’ Ethan Morton.
But the Boilermakers after an MSU timeout pushed the ball up the courtroom rapidly and located Edey on the left block, and the 7-foot-4, 305-pound junior delivered a hook shot over Mady Sissoko for the eventual winner.
The Spartans nonetheless had one other probability after a timeout and inbounded the ball from the baseline beneath Purdue’s basket. AJ Hoggard’s lengthy go to Joey Hauser bought tipped out of bounds by the Boilers’ Brandon Newman. Refs reviewed and put 1.8 seconds on the clock, with MSU getting the ball on the left baseline throughout from its bench.
Walker got here off a display screen at the highest of the important thing and caught Hoggard’s go in stride. But Morton closed on him, and the ball fell in need of the rim as time expired.
The 6-1 Walker scored his MSU-high with 30 factors on 12 for 23 taking pictures, together with 19 within the second half and 14 with beneath seven minutes left. Hoggard had 14 factors and eight assists, whereas Hauser scored 10. The 6-9 Sissoko grabbed eight rebounds, however he battled foul hassle towards Edey all through your entire back-and-forth second half.
The Spartans (12-6, 4-3) host Rutgers on Thursday (6:30 pm/FS1).
Edey completed 13 of 26 taking pictures. Fletcher Loyer, brother of former MSU guard Foster, added 17 factors on 5-for-9 taking pictures for first-place Purdue (17-1, 6-1), which has gained 4 straight.
Tough begin
News broke earlier than the sport of MSU probably being with out Malik Hall (left foot) for one more prolonged absence.
Coach Tom Izzo on his pregame radio present didn’t specify what Hall’s newest harm is, however he expects the senior ahead to probably miss extra time after sitting out eight video games earlier this season with a stress response in his left foot. Hall wore a strolling boot when he got here out with the group earlier than tipoff.
Whether that affected the Spartans early was onerous to inform, notably as a result of Edey dominated. The Purdue junior feasted inside, making seven of his first 14 photographs and posting a double-double by halftime with 17 factors and 10 rebounds.
But it was a foul name on Sissoko on one among Edey’s rebounds as their arms locked that drew Izzo’s ire. Purdue answered with a bounce go from Loyer to a chopping Furst, whose backdoor lower for a dunk made it 24-11 Boilermakers and prompted MSU to name timeout with 5:43 to go within the half.
It appeared like a knockout blow. But it wasn’t.
Strong response
The Spartans got here out of the timeout, and Walker hit a midpaint floater off a bounce go within the lane from Jaden Akins. Then Hoggard bought deep into the paint, hesitated and scored by means of a foul on Loyer. The three-point play flipped the vitality in Breslin from offended to hopeful.
Hoggard and Walker continued to make performs, with every hitting jumpers to slice a 13-point gap to 5. After a pair of Edey free throws, Hoggard once more drove into the lane, and the Purdue huge man swatted his shot. But MSU freshman middle Carson Cooper swooped in to accumulate the ball and rapidly scored a layup earlier than Edey might retreat.
Then with 10 seconds left earlier than the break, Hoggard delivered a nasty crossover dribble that despatched Morton sliding throughout the ground. Another defender switched, and Hoggard flicked the ball to Walker for a 3-pointer. The Spartans went to halftime trailing, 27-25, and on a 14-3 run over the ultimate 5:09, holding the Boilers with out a subject objective over the ultimate 5:47.
Walker had 11 factors on 5-for-11 taking pictures at the half, whereas Hoggard had seven factors and 5 assists.
Momentum swinging
That end-of-half surge continued into the second half, as Hauser scored instantly out of the break, adopted by a Hoggard 3-pointer and Walker jumper that gave MSU a 32-27 lead — its first since 3:36 into the sport. at 5-4
The Spartans continued to shut down Edey early. That did not final, although. It began with a dunk by the massive man, adopted by a Loyer 3-pointer that tied it again up at 32-all. Then Edey scored Purdue’s subsequent seven factors with two extra dunks and a three-point play. The Boilermakers’ 14-5 burst put them again up, 41-37, with 10:36 to go.
Back got here MSU with one other large counterpunch, reclaiming the lead on 4 straight free throws by Walker and Akins, then once more on a Hauser jumper after Edey drew Sissoko’s fourth foul and hit a pair of free throws. Score: 48-46 Spartans with 5:53 to play.
Haymakers ensued. By each groups. Many of them coming from Walker, together with two 3-pointers and a deep jumper that put MSU forward 61-60 and prompted Purdue coach Matt Painter to name timeout with 1:31 left.
Eventually, Edey’s peak benefit and put up presence proved the distinction. The Boilermakers completed with a 34-16 scoring benefit within the paint.
Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari.
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