WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Big Ten champion Purdue Boilermakers were well-represented on the All-Big Ten teams, as Zach Edey won his second straight Big Ten Player of the Year honor while head coach Matt Painter shared Big Ten Coach of the Year honors.
The honors put a cap on a dominant Big Ten season for the Boilermakers, which won the outright league championship for the second straight year by three games. Purdue enters the Big Ten Tournament with a 28-3 overall record, including a 17-3 mark in the Big Ten Conference.
Edey was also named the Associated Press (AP) Big Ten Player of the Year in addition to the coaches' and media selection as Big Ten Player of the Year. Painter was co-Coach of the Year with Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg, but was the AP's single honoree as the Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Edey was also honored on the Big Ten's All-Defensive Team.
In addition, Braden Smith was named first-team All-Big Ten by coaches, media and the AP, while Lance Jones, Fletcher Loyer and Mason Gillis were selected to the Honorable Mention All-Big Ten team. Gillis was voted as the Big Ten's Sixth Man of the Year, while Chase Martin was chosen as the team's Sportsmanship Award recipient.
The two first-team All-Big Ten honorees marked the first time since 2011 that Purdue had a pair of first-team honorees when E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson were both voted to the first team. In the last 50 years, Purdue has had two first-team honorees in the same year just five times (2024, 2011, 2010, 1988, 1975).
Purdue has now had nine first-team All-Big Ten honorees in the last 10 years, the most in the league (A.J. Hammons – 2016; Caleb Swanigan – 2017; Carsen Edwards – 2018, 2019; Trevion Williams – 2021; Jaden Ivey – 2022; Zach Edey – 2023, 2024).
Zach Edey || Senior || Center || Toronto, Ontario
Braden Smith || Guard || Sophomore || Westfield, Indiana
Mason Gillis || Senior || Forward || New Castle, Indiana
Lance Jones || Senior || Guard || Evanston, Illinois
Fletcher Loyer || Sophomore || Guard || Fort Wayne, Indiana
The honors put a cap on a dominant Big Ten season for the Boilermakers, which won the outright league championship for the second straight year by three games. Purdue enters the Big Ten Tournament with a 28-3 overall record, including a 17-3 mark in the Big Ten Conference.
Edey was also named the Associated Press (AP) Big Ten Player of the Year in addition to the coaches' and media selection as Big Ten Player of the Year. Painter was co-Coach of the Year with Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg, but was the AP's single honoree as the Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Edey was also honored on the Big Ten's All-Defensive Team.
In addition, Braden Smith was named first-team All-Big Ten by coaches, media and the AP, while Lance Jones, Fletcher Loyer and Mason Gillis were selected to the Honorable Mention All-Big Ten team. Gillis was voted as the Big Ten's Sixth Man of the Year, while Chase Martin was chosen as the team's Sportsmanship Award recipient.
The two first-team All-Big Ten honorees marked the first time since 2011 that Purdue had a pair of first-team honorees when E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson were both voted to the first team. In the last 50 years, Purdue has had two first-team honorees in the same year just five times (2024, 2011, 2010, 1988, 1975).
Purdue has now had nine first-team All-Big Ten honorees in the last 10 years, the most in the league (A.J. Hammons – 2016; Caleb Swanigan – 2017; Carsen Edwards – 2018, 2019; Trevion Williams – 2021; Jaden Ivey – 2022; Zach Edey – 2023, 2024).
Zach Edey || Senior || Center || Toronto, Ontario
- Big Ten Player of the Year (Coaches, Media, AP)
- First-team All-Big Ten (Coaches, Media, AP)
- Big Ten All-Defensive Team
- Becomes the first Purdue player to win consecutive Big Ten Player of the Year honors.
- Becomes the fourth Big Ten player to win consecutive Big Ten Player of the Year honors (Jim Jackson, Mateen Cleaves, Luka Garza, Zach Edey).
- Averaged 24.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game in all games played, but increased his numbers to 25.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.2 blocks per game in Big Ten play.
- Has set a Big Ten record with 12 Big Ten Player of the Week honors during his career.
- Is the only player in Big Ten history to record at least 700 points and 350 rebounds in a season. He has done that twice.
- Edey needs 26 rebounds to become the fifth player in NCAA history with two seasons of at least 750 points and 400 rebounds (Elvin Hayes, Oscar Robertson, Rick Barry, Jerry West).
- Has scored in double-figures in eight straight games, averaging 27.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.1 blocks per game in that span.
- Led the Big Ten in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage for the second straight year. Only one other player (Ohio State's Gary Bradds in 1963-64) has accomplished that feat.
- Leads the country in 30-10 games (7; next closest is 3) and 20-10 games (18; next closest is 16).
- Edey has moved into second place on Purdue's career scoring chart, now with 2,282 points and needing 41 points to tie Rick Mount for the school's career scoring record. He has moved into the top 10 on the Big Ten's all-time scoring list.
- If Edey becomes the school's all-time leading scorer, he will become Purdue's all-time leader in points, rebounds and double-doubles.
- Edey's seven career 30-15 games are the most for a high-major player in the last 15 years (Marvin Bagley, Blake Griffin – 4) by three games. His 10 career games of at least 25 points and 15 rebounds are also the most nationally in that span (Blake Griffin – 9).
- His 15 career 30-10 games are the second most for any player in the last 15 years (South Dakota State's Mike Daum – 21).
- Edey is the first player in Big Ten history with 2,200 career points and 1,200 career rebounds, and has joined David Robinson (Navy, 1984-87) as the only players in NCAA history with 2,200 career points, 1,200 career rebounds, 200 career blocks and to shoot over 60.0 percent from the field.
Braden Smith || Guard || Sophomore || Westfield, Indiana
- First-Team All-Big Ten (Coaches, Media, AP)
- A Cousy Award finalist, Smith earns his first All-Big Ten honoree
- Joins a growing list of sophomores that have earned All-Big Ten first-team accolades recently (Caleb Swanigan – 2017; Carsen Edwards – 2018; Jaden Ivey – 2022).
- Averaging 13.1 points, 7.2 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game in all games played. Averaged 12.5 points, 7.6 assists and 6.4 rebounds in Big Ten games only.
- Became the first Boilermaker to lead the Big Ten in assists since 1990 (Tony Jones).
- Has set a school record for assists in a season (222 and counting).
- Has six double-doubles and seven games with 10 or more assists – a new school record.
- Dished out 16 assists against Northwestern, the second most in a game in school history and the most in almost 50 years. The 16 assists were the most for a Big Ten player in the last 15 years.
- Is already one of 17 players in NCAA history to have at least 400 points, 220 assists, 175 rebounds and 50 steals in a season. Among Big Ten players, Smith and Magic Johnson are the only players to accomplish that feat.
- Already has 742 points, 375 assists, 331 rebounds and 96 steals in 66 career games. He is one of five players in NCAA history to have at least 725 points, 375 assists, 325 rebounds and 90 steals through completion of their sophomore season (Kenny Anderson, Nick Calathes, D.J. Cooper and Jason Kidd). His 152 career turnovers are by far the fewest of the five mentioned (D.J. Cooper – 222).
Mason Gillis || Senior || Forward || New Castle, Indiana
- Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year
- All-Big Ten Honorable Mention
- Becomes Purdue's third, and second in three years, Sixth Man Award winner (D.J. Byrd – 2012; Trevion Williams – 2022; Mason Gillis – 2024).
- One of four players in the country to shoot at least 50.0 percent from the field, 48.0 percent from 3-point range and 84.0 percent from the free throw line.
- Averaged 8.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, while making 36-of-75 (.480) from 3-point range in Big Ten play.
- Gillis' 49.0 percentage (48-of-98) from 3-point range is the second-best percentage in school history (Jaraan Cornell, 1998; .500).
- His career average of 40.8 from 3-point range is the sixth-best percentage in Purdue history.
- During his career, Purdue is 41-4 when he makes two or more 3-pointers.
- Enters the postseason having dished out at least two assists in five straight games (8.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.0 APG, 11-of-21 3Ps).
Lance Jones || Senior || Guard || Evanston, Illinois
- Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
- Averaging 12.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game for the season. Averages increase to 13.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in Big Ten play.
- Shot 37.5 percent from 3-point range and 81.8 percent from the free throw line in Big Ten play.
- Has 20 games of 10 or more points and three 20-point games.
- Scored 26 points in a home win over Northwestern and added 24 points against Michigan and 20 against Wisconsin in a four-game span in February.
- Had 10 rebounds, 8 assists and 5 steals in Purdue's first road win at Rutgers since 2018.
- Has scored 1,899 career points (four years at Southern Illinois; one at Purdue).
- Is one of two active players (TCU's Jameer Nelson Jr.) with 1,800 points, 450 rebounds, 350 assists and 200 steals. Has made 273 career 3-pointers.
Fletcher Loyer || Sophomore || Guard || Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
- Averaging 10.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game, while shooting 43.3 percent from 3-point range.
- Currently on a three-game stretch where he's averaging 15.3 points and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 8-of-11 (.727) from 3-point range.
- Is shooting 37-of-78 (.474) from 3-point range in the last 21 games.
- Shooting 48.5 percent (33-of-68) from 3-point range in Big Ten Conference games. Among players to have made 30, 3-pointers in Big Ten games, he leads the league in 3-point percentage.
- Scored a career-high 27 points in wins over No. 6-ranked Tennessee (Nov. 21) and No. 1-ranked Arizona (Dec. 16).
- Averaged 14.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in seven games against nationally-