"I've never seen somebody so good get so much sh*t for no reason" - Purdue HC Matt Painter defends Zach Edey amid heavy criticism

Zach Edey was the only Purdue player to make a significant contribution in the Boilermakers' narrow 76-75 loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten semifinals. The towering slotman out of Toronto posted 28 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists on 7-11 shooting and 14-19 from the line.

Fans, however, were quick to point out the number of foul calls he received, prompting head coach Matt Painter to immediately fire back. Boilermakers reporter Sam King posted Painter's remarks on X:

"I've never seen somebody so good get so much sh*t for no reason. It blows my mind."

Edey was awarded 19 of Purdue's 32 total free throws. In comparison, Wisconsin shot a paltry nine attempts from the line, hitting just five of them.

Zach Edey's advanced stats

Advanced analytics show how critical Edey has been to Purdue's success all year.

He`s tallied a career-high net rating of 38.1 this season (via FOX Sports). Net rating refers to how much the team outscores its opponent every 100 possessions whenever the player is on the floor. Edey's offensive rating of 136.1 is also a career high.

Nevertheless, much of the criticism leveled at him stems from his back-to-the-basket style of play in an era that puts a premium on big men who can shoot the ball or put it on the floor from the perimeter.