Zach Edey’s 21 points and 12 rebounds carried No. 24 Purdue past No. 8 Duke for a 75-56 victory in the championship game of the Phil Knight Legacy tournament Sunday afternoon in Portland, Ore.
Fletcher Loyer added 18 points, hitting four 3-pointers, for the Boilermakers (6-0).
Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.
Thanks for signing up!
A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.
The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.
Duke was without a field goal in the last nine minutes, managing just one made free throw during that stretch. Tyrese Proctor had 16 points and Kyle Filipowski and Jeremy Roach both scored 14 points for the Blue Devils.
Duke (6-2) shot 36.2 percent from the field, losing for the second time in four neutral-site games this season. It shot 2 for 19 on 3-pointers.
The Boilermakers knocked off two Top 10 teams in three days after Friday night’s semifinal win against No. 6 Gonzaga.
Edey shot 7 for 13 from the field and 7 for 8 on free throws.
Loyer had more than half of Purdue’s seven 3-point baskets, with two of those helping fend off Duke during a game-ending 12-0 run.
Purdue held a 58-41 lead before the Blue Devils rallied, beginning with an 8-0 run and cutting the gap to 62-55 with 9:14 to play. Duke’s zone defense seemed to put the Boilermakers out of rhythm.
Loyer’s 3-pointer re-established a double-figure lead at 68-56 with five minutes to go. Another 3 for Loyer stretched the margin as the Blue Devils couldn’t find their shooting stroke.
Duke missed its final 13 shots from the floor.
Purdue was up 14 when Duke center Dereck Lively II, the top-rated recruit in the freshman class, picked up his third foul. That was part of Duke’s interior foul troubles, particularly in the first half. Lively didn’t score, missing all three of his shots.
The game was barely four minutes old when Purdue committed its fifth turnover. But the Boilermakers started clicking and went ahead by as many as 18 points before holding a 46-35 halftime lead. Purdue ended up with just 11 turnovers in the game.
–Field Level Media
Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis. Care for a wager? Head to our sports betting section for news and odds.