No. 5 Purdue survives Penn State to win Big Ten championship

 

[March 13, 2023]  Zach Edey totaled 30 points and 13 rebounds to help No. 5 Purdue hang on for a 67-65 victory over Penn State and secure the Big Ten Conference tournament championship on Sunday afternoon in Chicago.

The top-seeded Boilermakers (29-5) won the Big Ten tournament title for the second time in program history and first time since 2009. It was the first time Purdue won both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles in the same year.

Penn State (22-13), the No. 10 seed, was the lowest seed to ever advance to the tournament final. The Nittany Lions will try to make a splash in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 10 seed after a turnaround season that featured an eight-win improvement from last year's 14-17 record.

Penn State pulled to within a point with 6.4 seconds remaining. Down five, Myles Dread made a 3-pointer, and Camren Wynter then scored following a steal by Evan Mahaffey. Purdue's Fletcher Loyer was fouled and made the first free throw at the other end, but missed the second, allowing Penn State to collect the rebound and call timeout with 3.3 seconds left.

But Wynter bobbled a quick pass at the perimeter from Dread and then traveled with the ball, turning it over with 0.6 seconds left.

Purdue began the season unranked but rocketed its way into the top five of the AP Poll by Nov. 28 and has stayed there since. The program is a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will try to make another run at its first national championship. The Boilermakers were eliminated by Saint Peter's in the Sweet 16 last year.

Edey became the first player with 30 or more points and 10 or more rebounds in the Big Ten title game since 2010. It was Edey's eighth such game this season and 26th double-double, which leads all Division I players.

Trailing 60-43 with 6:18 remaining, Penn State went on a 13-2 run powered by Seth Lundy and Jalen Pickett. But Lundy, who finished with 19 points and eight rebounds to lead the Nittany Lions, fouled out with 2:47 to go. Wynter totaled 14 points and Pickett had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.

David Jenkins Jr. finished with 11 points for Purdue and Mason Gillis had 10 points and six rebounds.

--Field Level Media

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