Toronto’s Zach Edey leads Purdue over Gonzaga, into Elite 8 | CBC Sports

Purdue big man Zach Edey withstood all the abuse Gonzaga could lay on him Friday night in Detroit, finishing with 27 points and 14 rebounds to lift the Boilermakers to an 80-68 victory and move them one win from the Final Four.

Gonzaga leaned on, swatted and grabbed at the 7-foot-4 centre from Toronto — even slapped him across the forehead at one point — but it wasn’t enough to stop either him or his top-seeded team.

On Sunday, Purdue, which last year became history’s second first-round loser as a No. 1 seed, will play Tennessee, who beat Creighton 82-75.

Braden Smith had 14 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds for Purdue (32-4), came down to the other team’s inability to hold down the nation’s leading scorer.

WATCH l Canadian Zach Edey dominates March Madness with Purdue:

Ryan Nembhard of Aurora, Ont., had 14 points and seven assists for the Bulldogs.

Fifth-seeded Gonzaga (27-8) gave it a go for 30 minutes, but foul trouble and an ever-shrining basket ended its hopes.

Graham Ike had 18 points and 10 rebounds for coach Mark Few’s Bulldogs, who shot only 38 per cent over the first 15 minutes of the second half and fell to 0-3 vs. Edey and the Boilermakers over the past two seasons. Like all the Gonzaga big men, Ike spent the evening in foul trouble; he got his fifth and trudged off the court for good with 5:07 left.

In other games on Friday, NC State (11) defeated Marquette (2), 67-58. NC State will move on to face Duke (4), who toppled top-ranked Houston 54-51.