Gonzaga looked primed at halftime for an upset Monday of No. 2 Purdue.
But Gonzaga’s shooters went cold as Purdue repeatedly looked to Zach Edey in the post to secure for a 73-63 win in the first round of the Maui Invitational. Purdue rallied from a 35-30 halftime deficit then controlled the latter portion of the second half for a convincing win over the nation’s No. 11 team.
The win is the first over a ranked team for Purdue this season as the Boilermakers look to bounce back from last season’s historic disappointment in the NCAA tournament. Purdue lost in the first round to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson as the second ever No. 1 seed to lose in the first round.
They return all five starters from last season’s team, including Edey, the reigning National Player of the Year.