Purdue 79, Florida State 69- Game Wrap

With Purdue's lead hanging at just 59-56, a sluggish looking Purdue team needed a spark in their first road game of the year. Their two true freshman guards stepped up making a play on each end of the floor to help ignite a late Purdue push in Tallahassee, Florida.

Braden Smith was on the ground again. The freshman secured the ball and the whistle blew. He had just forced his second steal of the game. Loyer would make the possession count when he drove late int he clock, sealed off his man, and finished with a lay up that gave Purdue a 5 point lead.

The next possession it was Loyer's turn to make a defensive play. He reached from help side and poked a dribble away. Smith would return the favor on making something of the extra possession. He would drive left on a pick and roll and go up with his left hand and finish a lay up that pushed Purdue's lead to 63-56.

The mini 4-0 run was enough for Purdue to distance themselves from a feisty Florida State team that needed a win in a bad way. The Seminoles were just 1-7 going into the game and they looked to turn their season around against the #5 Boilermakers.

It was Purdue's worst performance of the season, but Zach Edey was once again the best player on the floor, and enough to keep Purdue up down the stretch.

Edey finished with 25 points and 8 rebounds. It's Edey's sixth straight game with 20+ or more points.

#5 Purdue moves to 7-0 after the win.

Someone needs to tell Braden Smith that freshman are supposed to struggle on the road.

Braden Smith struggled with his jump shot, but found everything else, including his teammates. Smith continued to stuff the stat sheet for Purdue, finishing the game with 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Fletcher Loyer also had double-digit points, scoring 11 points and 4 assists.

Florida State had one goal coming into the game against #5 Purdue, deny Edey the ball.

Leonard Hamilton's defense got full marks to start the game. For the first time this season, Zach Edey went to the bench for his first sub before getting a shot up. Florida State fronted, doubled, and focused all their energy on keeping the 7'4" center coming off five straight 20+ point performances.

Seminoles were happy to give up open threes to Fletcher Loyer and Mason Gillis, who combined to go 2 of 5 from three in the first ten minutes, but Purdue's offense struggled to find a rhythm without Edey getting his usual looks inside.

The doubling also allowed Florida State to jump passing lanes. Purdue's offense again struggled to just hold onto the ball to start the game.

Purdue would tighten up their possessions in the second half and finish with just 11 turnovers.

Purdue's gotten into a habit of slow starts, but has responded well all season. Purdue's whole first half against a 1-7 Seminoles team was a struggle.

The schedule Gods were not nice to Purdue with their first road trip happening on the heels of their Thanksgiving trip to the west coast. The Boilermakers looked like a team struggling to find its fifth gear at times.

Still jet lagged or underestimating their opponent, Purdue came out sloppy again. They turned the ball over 8 times in the first half. A good portion of them unforced, like Caleb Furst stepping out of bounds in the corner after an Edey pass out to him from the post. Furst caught the ball, stepped back, and went to drive, but the ref whistled him for being out of bounds.

Braden Smith got called for a flopping technical early in the first half.

Brandon Newman got called for a technical foul after making a corner 3 late int he first half. His shot went in right in front of the Florida State bench. The junior guard had something to say to the Florida State bench though as he ran by and the official was right there to whistle him up for the technical.

After not getting a shot in the first five minutes of the game, Edey came back onto the court and dominated.

Edey played almost 9 straight minutes of action and racked up points and rebounds. He had 15 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the first half in 15 minutes of play.

He was the only Boilermaker with multiple made field goals in the first half.

Despite Purdue playing their worst half of basketball of the season. Edey was able to carry Purdue to a 34-32 halftime lead.

The UCF transfer Darin Green Jr. was everything and really good for Florida State in the first half. He knocked down 3 three-pointers on his way to 16 points. He also blocked two shots and had two steals.

Green finished with a team-high 23 points.

Matthew Cleveland found success in the mid-range and scored 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting.

The Seminoles shot 25-66 from the floor.

Caleb Furst seems to have found his groove in the offense.

The big man has found success playing the dunker's spot, cutting baseline, and taking advantage of defense's attention to the ball and Edey. He got two great looks in the second half off of feeds from Loyer and Smith to fuel a Purdue run to push the lead to 55-47. Both dunks started Purdue's second half surge, and his corner three right after was a much needed encore.

It was a set list he performed almost identically in the second half against Duke on Sunday where he was part of a push late in the second half to put away the Blue Devils.

Furst finished the game with 7 points and 3 rebounds in just 15 minutes of action. He had a team best +13 points in those 15 minutes.