Purdue basketball is changing minds with each blowout win.

CBS Sports basketball analyst Wally Szczerbiak's opinion of the Boilermakers has gone from first-round upset watch to a likely Final Four berth in the wake of the first weekend of March Madness.

"Honestly, they could have blown out Utah State by 60 if they don't pull all the starters out," Szczerbiak said Monday on the "Dan Patrick Show." "The pieces, they way that they fit this year (is better than 2023). The maturity of Braden Smith, and (he and Fletcher) Loyer are a year older. They're a completely different team.

"I think they're on a collision course with UConn in the final."

Gregg Doyel: Purdue has been building for this moment, and the Boilers are ready

Purdue defeated No. 16 seed Grambling State by 28 points in the first round and backed it up with a 39-point win over No. 8 Utah State in the second round.

Next up: No. 5 seed Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 on Friday night.

Last week, Szczerbiak took a flyer on Grambling State heading into the first round.

Zach Edey can play in the NBA, says Wally Szczerbiak

Zach Edey is likely to win a second consecutive national Player of the Year award. He became Purdue's career scoring and rebounding this season. Will that translate to the NBA?

"A lot of people are saying Zach Edey can't play in the NBA. I beg to differ. Look at a guy like (nine-year NBA veteran) Boban Marjonovic," Szczerbiak said. "Zach Edey is a similar player, and I think he's a lot more mobile."

"He's really worked on his lateral movement. He's really worked on getting his body in the best possible shape. ... When he camps out there, 5 feet from the basket, and puts his arms up, you can't get around him to deflect the entry pass into the post, and he's really tough to stop."

Szczerbiak said Edey is more athletic than Yao Ming, a 7-6 player from China who had an eight-year NBA career.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue making believer out of Wally Szczerbiak in NCAA Tournament