After All-American center Zach Edey left for the NBA, many questioned how Purdue would adjust. However, the Boilermakers' approach post-Edey remains largely unchanged, continuing to emphasize feeding the ball into the post. This was evident on Friday night as Purdue, ranked No. 13, defeated No. 2 Alabama 87-78, with forward Trey Kaufman-Renn leading the way with a career-high 26 points and eight rebounds.
Alabama coach Nate Oats was reminded of last season's 92-86 loss to Purdue, which also highlighted the Boilermakers' strong post-up game.
Oats acknowledged Purdue's expertise in post play, saying, "They may be the best post-up program in the country." He noted that despite Edeys departure, Purdue remains adept at running effective actions to feed the ball inside and create opportunities for shooters.
Oats admitted that his team didn't anticipate such a dominant post presence this season and didn't prepare for a double post strategy.
