Toronto’s Zach Edey leads Purdue over Gonzaga, into Elite Eight

With 27 points and 14 rebounds, Purdue big man Zach Edey withstood all Gonzaga could throw at him on Friday night in Detroit, helping the Boilermakers to an 80-68 victory that put them one win away from the Final Four.

Even though Gonzaga leaned on, swatted, grabbed, and at one point even slapped the 7-foot-4 Toronto center across the forehead, he and his top-seeded team were unstoppable.

On Sunday, Purdue, which last year became history’s second first-round loser as a No. 1 seed, will play Tennessee, who beat Creighton 82-75.

Braden Smith had 14 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds for Purdue (32-4), came down to the other team’s inability to hold down the nation’s leading scorer.

Ryan Nembhard of Aurora, Ont., had 14 points and seven assists for the Bulldogs.

Fifth-seeded Gonzaga (27-8) gave it a go for 30 minutes, but foul trouble and an ever-shrining basket ended its hopes.