WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – On the eve of the National Championship game, Purdue senior center Zach Edey earned a number of accolades in the last two days.
Over the last two days, Edey was named the Associated Press (AP) National Player of the Year, the Oscar Robertson Trophy award winner (United States Basketball Writers Association), the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year and the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year.
Should Edey win the one remaining National Player of the Year, the Wooden Award announced next weekend, Edey will become the first player to sweep the National Player of the Year in consecutive seasons since UCLA's Bill Walton in 1972 and 1973. Virginia's Ralph Sampson is considered the last back-to-back National Player of the Year recipient, but did not win them all in two of the three seasons.
Dating to last year, Edey has now won all 11 major National Player of the Year accolades that have been handed out.
Entering Monday's National Championship game, Edey has dominated all season long, averaging 24.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.1 assists per game.
Edey needs four points to become the fifth player in NCAA history, and the first since Larry Bird in 1979, to have at least 950 points and 450 rebounds in a season, ranking second in Purdue history in points and first in rebounds in a season.
He is the first player since 1960 (Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson) to lead the nation in scoring and reach the Final Four and is trying to become the first player since Villanova's Jalen Brunson to be named National Player of the Year and win a National Championship.
Edey needs 21 points to become the seventh player in NCAA history with 2,500 career points and 1,300 career rebounds, the first since La Salle's Lionel Simmons from 1987-90.
Edey has dominated the NCAA Tournament so far, being one of three players (Edey, Elvin Hayes, Jerry West) to have at least 140 points and 70 rebounds in a single NCAA Tournament, already producing 140 points and 77 rebounds in this year's tournament.
With his 40-point, 16-rebound performance against Tennessee, Edey is one of six players, and the first since 1990, with a 40-point, 15-rebound games in NCAA Tournament action. He is the first player to do so in a Regional Final.
Edey and the Boilermakers will battle No. 1-ranked and the East Region Champion Connecticut in Monday's National Championship game.
Over the last two days, Edey was named the Associated Press (AP) National Player of the Year, the Oscar Robertson Trophy award winner (United States Basketball Writers Association), the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year and the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year.
Should Edey win the one remaining National Player of the Year, the Wooden Award announced next weekend, Edey will become the first player to sweep the National Player of the Year in consecutive seasons since UCLA's Bill Walton in 1972 and 1973. Virginia's Ralph Sampson is considered the last back-to-back National Player of the Year recipient, but did not win them all in two of the three seasons.
Dating to last year, Edey has now won all 11 major National Player of the Year accolades that have been handed out.
Entering Monday's National Championship game, Edey has dominated all season long, averaging 24.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.1 assists per game.
Edey needs four points to become the fifth player in NCAA history, and the first since Larry Bird in 1979, to have at least 950 points and 450 rebounds in a season, ranking second in Purdue history in points and first in rebounds in a season.
He is the first player since 1960 (Cincinnati's Oscar Robertson) to lead the nation in scoring and reach the Final Four and is trying to become the first player since Villanova's Jalen Brunson to be named National Player of the Year and win a National Championship.
Edey needs 21 points to become the seventh player in NCAA history with 2,500 career points and 1,300 career rebounds, the first since La Salle's Lionel Simmons from 1987-90.
Edey has dominated the NCAA Tournament so far, being one of three players (Edey, Elvin Hayes, Jerry West) to have at least 140 points and 70 rebounds in a single NCAA Tournament, already producing 140 points and 77 rebounds in this year's tournament.
With his 40-point, 16-rebound performance against Tennessee, Edey is one of six players, and the first since 1990, with a 40-point, 15-rebound games in NCAA Tournament action. He is the first player to do so in a Regional Final.
Edey and the Boilermakers will battle No. 1-ranked and the East Region Champion Connecticut in Monday's National Championship game.