The Palestra got as loud as the Palestra gets. The temperature inside Sunday night rose as fast as it was dropping outside. Penn State told its people to wear white, and although you can’t fit more than 100,000 inside on 33rd Street like they do out at Beaver Stadium, it sounded almost as loud as a standard “White Out” football extravaganza, with top-ranked Purdue in to face the Nittany Lions.
That atmosphere was full-frenzied for a half anyway, thanks to a clean Penn State shooting display.
This one will be remembered, however, as the time the largest difference-maker in college hoops strolled into Philly and stole the Big Ten show. Zach Edey, a mere 7-foot-4, was way too much for Penn State to handle in the paint, scoring 30 points, with 13 rebounds and 3 blocks, the Boilermakers winning, 76-63.
First half a different show
Right away, both teams began playing to their strengths, which means the Boilermakers (15-1, 4-1 Big Ten) got it to Edey, establishing position in the paint, taking his little baby hooks, making most.
Having little interest in challenging Edey at the other end, Penn State (11-5, 2-3) took a while to start knocking down jumpers. Then Nittany Lions point guard Jalen Pickett showed before halftime why he is the straw that stirs this year’s group.
By halftime, Pickett had 18 points, the last at the buzzer. His highlight had been a three-pointer Pickett actually arced from in front of Purdue’s bench, over Edey, who fouled him in the process. A four-point play Pickett won’t forget. Pickett had 26 for the night.
Penn State’s 37-31 halftime lead was earned with the Nittany Lions committing just two first-half turnovers, with Roman Catholic graduate Seth Lundy joining Pickett in double figures by halftime, with Archbishop Wood graduate Andrew Funk making his first three-pointer for Penn State’s first lead of the night.
Key juncture
Right after halftime, Purdue grabbed control back, scoring inside and out. Penn State got decent looks but wasn’t hitting them, as the Boilermakers scored the first dozen points of the half. Edey was getting almost half of Purdue’s shots, and just shy of half the points, up to 28 (on 13 of 19 shooting) when Purdue took a 56-44 lead with 11 minutes left.
Philly guards
How important was it for Penn State to get some guard production this offseason out of the transfer portal? Funk showed up as a graduate transfer from Bucknell. Cam Wynter joined after four seasons at Drexel.
“It was really important,” Nittany Lions coach Micah Shrewsberry had said last week. “They’re both so different in their games, but they both fit seamlessly as people. … They both came in; neither one asked about shots, minutes, anything else…”
Purdue’s big man is different
Not just because Edey is 7-4. (Sure, that’s enough.) Shrewsberry was a Purdue assistant when Edey first got there.
“He’s big, but he’s nasty,” Shrewsberry said. “He doesn’t mind contact. He actually likes contact.”
Another thing, Shrewsberry said, Edey likes the game, making the point that some really big men play because they’re really big. Edey was the type to finish practice, do all the post-practice workouts everyone did, then shower, go eat dinner … and come back to watch film of practice.
“This dude loves the game,” Shrewsberry said.
Note to Penn State …
We’ve said this before: When you come to the Palestra, cut the canned blistering pregame music. Your fans can take care of the noise. (They really did, as soon as the game began. Best atmosphere in here all year.) In this building, nobody can talk to the person next to them if the amped-up PA stuff goes up too loud. If you want a Palestra experience, make it a true Palestra experience. (Now get off my lawn.)
