Mike Woodson has had Purdue's number, but IU coach knows Zach Edey, these Boilers are better
When it comes to Purdue, the timing has been tough for IU basketball coach Mike Woodson. The year Woodson arrived? The year Purdue reached No. 1 for the first time in program history?
Same year. The 2021-22 season.
Purdue has been largely a top-five team ever since. Hey, timing stinks sometimes. Remember when Gene Keady took over at Purdue? That was April 1980, and it was a job nobody wanted — literally, coaches were turning down Purdue left and right — because of the way Bob Knight had the Hoosiers rolling.
Gene Keady did fine, by the way, but this isn’t a story about Gene Keady. It’s not really a story about Mike Woodson, either. It’s a story about the state’s biggest rivalry, in any sport, but timing can be telling — and in this case, the timing is fascinating. Because as I said, when it comes to Purdue, Woodson’s timing has been tough.
But the results have been great, which brings us to the 218th installment of Purdue vs. IU, Tuesday night at Assembly Hall, when Woodson — the only coach with three victories against Purdue since 2022 — will try to improve his career coaching record against the Boilermakers to 4-1.
Timing being what it is, though, let’s acknowledge something Woodson himself was suggesting Monday as he discussed Purdue with wary smiles and rueful shakes of the head:
This is the most dangerous Purdue team yet.
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Woodson knows: Zach Edey has more help
The question came from IndyStar’s IU Insider, Zach Osterman, which might be interesting only to me and Zach’s family. You’ll probably be more intrigued with Woodson’s answer.
Zach’s question, in so many words: You’ve seen Purdue for two years. What’s different about the Boilermakers this season?
Woodson’s initial answer, word for word:
“They shot low 30s from 3,” he said, referring to Purdue’s struggles behind the arc in recent years, “but they’re shooting 39 (percent) this year. That’s the biggest challenge.”
He kept going, and yes, Woody’s aware Purdue has a particularly large player in the paint named Zach Edey. But note the first thing that comes out of his mouth when asked about the difference — the challenge — this 2023-24 Purdue basketball team presents. Ball don’t lie, you know? Neither do scouting reports.
Purdue is practically shooting 40% from 3-point range this season, 39.8% technically, which makes the whole thing absurd. Single cover Edey in the post, and he’s been given instructions by Matt Painter: Score the ball. The 7-4, 305-pound Edey does that ruthlessly, a terminator in gold and black, turning to the rim and shooting as if nobody’s there because let’s be honest: At his size, there might as well be nobody there. The only known way to affect his shot is to foul him, over and over, and hope referees run out of the breath required to blow the whistle.
Edey is averaging 22.3 points per game, same as last year, but he’s doing it in 2½ fewer minutes and 2½ fewer shots per game. His shooting percentage is up to 64.5%, he’s averaging 10 free throws per game, and he has this habit of making them (74.4% from the line, compared to, ahem, IU’s team average of 66.2%).
Point being, a year ago Edey was the most dominant player in college basketball in decades, and he’s more dominant this season — and he’s not the first thing jumping off Mike Woodson’s scouting report!
And Woodson’s not wrong. Purdue’s 3-point accuracy is ninth in the country. Braden Smith of Westfield leads the way among starters at 48.2% (27-for-56), but Mason Gillis of New Castle leads among rotation regulars at 51.1% (23-for-45), unless you think it’s time to start taking freshman Cam Heide seriously. Heide’s actually shooting a team-best 55% from 3-point range (11-for-20) and I submit that it’s time to start taking Heide, a 6-7 jumping jack, seriously. His minutes are on the rise in recent weeks, making him Purdue’s seventh man — Gillis is the sixth man — which means the Boilers often have this five-man unit on the floor:
Braden Smith: 48.2% from 3
Fletcher Loyer: 40.8% from 3
Mason Gillis: 51.1% from 3
Cam Heide: 55% from 3
Zach Edey: Best player in the country
Here, now, comes Woodson’s complete answer to the question by (our) Zach:
“They shot low 30s from 3, but they’re shooting 39 (percent) this year. That’s the biggest challenge,” he said. “Got to guard the 3-point line and still deal with Edey. He’s getting more touches probably than he got last season. He’s a load — I don’t even know how to explain it. He’s a big guy that’s very skilled and tough to deal with it. We’ve got to go in there and battle for 40 minutes and see what happens.”
Bright side? Woodson has already beaten Purdue at Edey’s very best.
Down side, which seems not just fair but appropriate to mention? Trayce Jackson-Davis, who went toe-to-toe with Edey as Woodson was building that 3-1 mark against Purdue, is gone to the NBA.
Brian Evans taps into IU fan's unease
Things are still dicey in Bloomington. Fans have been unhappy, media has been critical — well, I’ve been critical; other outlets are too busy calling Woodson “Coach” during news conferences — and even a former IU legend like Brian Evans is sounding the alarm.
One day after the Hoosiers’ loss at Rutgers last week, Evans appeared on WFNI-AM 1070 and assumed, shall we say, an aggressive tone.
“That was so bad,” Evans, the 1996 Big Ten MVP under Knight, said on The Ride with JMV. “And it’s been bad, but it just got ugly. … I’m disappointed. I’m not happy with the state of the program at all. And, worse than that? I don’t think it’s going to get better. I’m afraid it’s going to get worse.”
Well, it hasn’t gotten worse. Small sample size and all, but the Hoosiers defeated Minnesota two days later at Assembly Hall. Now they get a crack at the best team in the league, and they get it on a home court where Woodson has gone 2-0 as a coach against the Boilermakers. There was the Rob Phinisee game in 2022, and the game last season when Edey had his way — 33 points, 18 rebounds, three blocks, 15-for-19 from the floor — but the Hoosiers clamped down on everyone else. The rest of the Boilermakers were 14-for-38 from the floor (36.8%), and IU won 79-74.
Edey has a more dangerous supporting cast this time around, and even more help in the post. His minutes are down this season because of the improvement of 6-9 Trey Kaufman-Renn (7.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg in 16.8 minutes), but when someone asked Woodson later Monday about the emergence of Kaufman-Renn, who actually starts alongside Edey, check out again the first words from Woody’s mouth.
“The shooters have allowed (Purdue) to do a lot of that in terms of playing two bigs,” he said. “Both bigs are very demanding on the block. Kaufman, he’s tough on his block. When he catches the ball he’s very aggressive, and a hell of an offensive rebounder.”
All of that is true, but his answer started where the Purdue offense starts: On the perimeter, where a handful of Boilers have to pass up 3-point looks before deciding to throw it to Edey.
Tough test for IU on Tuesday night, but give Woodson this: He’s not so blinded by Edey’s brilliance that he’s ignoring Purdue’s ability to light it up from behind the 3-point arc. Tipoff’s almost here. Time’s almost up.
Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar or at www.facebook.com/greggdoyelstar.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU basketball coach Mike Woodson takes aim again at Purdue, Zach Edey
