Insider: Purdue basketball turns a corner with rebounding

ANN ARBOR, Mich. − Zach Edey is unlike anything we've seen in college basketball.

It's not just the sheer size of Purdue basketball's 7-foot-4 superstar, but the way he affects a game, sometimes just by simply existing.

Take this play for instance midway through the first half.

The Boilermakers trail Michigan 22-21 11-and-a-half minutes in when Braden Smith fires a 3 from the left wing.

Edey rolls into position in case the shot is long and three Michigan players convert around him.

Smith's shot isn't long though and Lance Jones, not known for his rebounding, elevates for an offensive putback to give the Boilermakers their first lead in a game they'd go on to win 84-76.

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"In rebounding you want pockets of space," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "He creates that because they all come towards him."

Rebounding is a sense of pride for Purdue, especially knowing the luxury it has in Edey.

But that was especially true on Sunday at Crisler Arena.

"We're a team that takes pride in controlling those boards," Edey said. "I think last game we played against them they had 14 offensive rebounds. We really wanted to lock into that."

Purdue ranks 17th in the nation in defensive rebounding average. In offensive rebounding average? Forty-seventh, though that's more a product of Purdue's shooting percentage. The Boilers were right at their season average of 41 against Michigan, the ninth best rebounding team in the country.

But, only Rutgers has outrebounded the Boilermakers in 28 games this season. And Purdue won that game in Piscataway, New Jersey, last month, right after beating Michigan at home despite allowing 14 offensive rebounds.

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Just four weeks ago, on the backs of that, rebounding seemed like a concern.

Not anymore.

Since Rutgers outrebounded Purdue 36-32 on Jan. 28, the Boilermakers have owned an edge of at least 13 more rebounds than their opponent in the seven games since.

Against Michigan, Purdue scored 24 second-chance points and had 17 offensive boards.

"There's a lot of people who don't get plays. And so that's their play," said Mason Gillis, who had eight rebounds, including three offensive. "When we're watching film on the other teams, coach B (assistant coach Brandon Brantley) will always talk about how three people will get plays, but the rest, their offense is coming from rebounds and loose balls and stuff like that. A lot of our guys have the same mentality."

It showed from Purdue's tallest player, Edey, grabbing 15 rebounds to the shortest Boilermaker, Braden Smith, snagging eight to bump his season average to an impressive 5.8 per game.

And it showed until the end of Purdue's victory at Michigan's Crisler Arena, when Dug McDaniel had a 3-pointer that could've cut the lead to five had it not fired long off the rim.

Tarris Reed Jr. stood near the sideline alone, waiting for the rebound with just under four minutes remaining.

Jones dashed towards the ball, drew a foul on Reed and Purdue got possession.

"To get a road win, you've got to be able to sacrifice and makes those extra effort plays," Jones said. "I feel like they were just staring at the ball hoping for it to come to them and I tried to use my speed to get to it."

And that's why Purdue is where it is and everyone else in the Big Ten is looking up at the Boilermakers.

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue basketball relying on rebounding to gain edge on opponents