Shaq Edey strikes again

Sometimes life presents binary decisions. Sometimes they're simple. Go right, or go left? With fries or no fries? Those are the easy choices, often with no regrets. Hamlet wouldn't stress over those.

But when it comes to single-coverage or double-teaming Zach Edey, well, that's a more challenging choice. Watch the big fella dominate, or see if the rest of Purdue can beat you? These are the real choices in life. At least if you're a Big Ten team.

1. Zach Edey is inevitable

There are games where teams double-team (or triple-team) Zach Edey and force Purdue's supporting cast to win games. Nebraska has twice tried to limit the 7-foot-4 center's touches, but neither resulted in a win.

Then there are times when a team mostly tries to play Edey in single coverage. Like Monday.

Edey scored a career-high 32 points — on a season-high 26 shots — and hit the game-winner in the Boilermakers' 64-63 win at Michigan State. Purdue needed every bit of it, too. He played 37 minutes, grabbed 13 rebounds, had two blocks, and when it mattered most, did what he does best: Score down low. It might look familiar to other game-winning shots, too.

"They came up to get us so that wasn’t going to be the case," coach Matt Painter said afterward. "We were going to go to (Edey), obviously. They stayed one-on-one. They were very physical with him and just made it hard. But for us, it's not really a decision. If you’re going to allow him to get it then we’re going to go to him."

Is it surprising that Tom Izzo tried to mostly play Edey without doubling him? Not really. A man-to-man disciple, he felt OK about using Mady Sissoko and a mix of other defenders on Edey. None would've stopped him. But maybe limiting him would've been enough.

Michigan State (12-6, 4-3 in Big Ten) has now dropped two straight, though neither should count as a bad loss or even that worrisome. Losing at a surging Illinois and home to the league's best team? That's OK. The Spartans remain on track to finish in the top half of the Big Ten and will be in good shape for the NCAA Tournament. (Provided forward Malik Hall only misses a few weeks and isn't out until mid-Feb.)

As for Purdue, it just keeps winning — steadily, relentlessly winning. It is 17-1 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten, its best start since the 1987-88 season. It has never begun a season 18-1. More impressive for the No. 3 Boilermakers is that they're 5-0 on the road (the most wins by any power-conference team) and their seven Quad 1 lead all teams.

And to be fair, this game wasn't all about Edey. Purdue was incredible down the stretch, going 6-of-7 from the field, hitting all seven free throws and committing just one turnover in the final 6:35. Edey accounted for two of those baskets and two free throws, while Caleb Furst added a 3-pointer. The rest was freshman guard Fletcher Loyer, who canned all three of his shots and was 5-for-5 from the line.

He finished with 17 points and just one turnover, the kind of performance that made Robbie Hummel rave about Loyer — not Edey — afterward. When your freshmen grow up fast, it sure makes things easier.

2. Miami holds court against Syracuse

January hasn't been great in South Beach. The Hurricanes entered Monday's game against Syracuse with just one win this month. And with an 11-point second-half deficit, they didn't seem ready to start winning.

But being home can make a difference. So can hitting shots.

Nijel Pack scored nine of his 15 points in the second half, Norchad Omier had 16 points and 16 rebounds and a key block late in the game to seal an 82-78 win.

Miami (15-3, 6-2 in ACC) remained on Clemson's heels in the ACC race. Syracuse (12-7, 5-3) didn't get the win but continues to steadily improve. The Orange are 9-3 since December 3, with three losses coming by a combined 13 points.

Syracuse got a season-high 25 points from senior Jesse Edwards, while Joe Girard III added 21.

Illinois 78, Minnesota 60Are the Illini back? They ran away from the Gophers (7-9, 1-5 in Big Ten) in the second half behind another big game from Matthew Mayer (19 points, 10 rebounds). Illinois (13-5, 4-3) has won four straight, all by at least nine points, and it has scored at least 1.12 points per possession in each of those games.

Villanova 77, Georgetown 73For a couple of minutes, it looked like the Hoyas (5-14, 0-8 in Big East) would snap their Big East losing streak at 27 games. They led Villanova (9-10, 3-5) by two with 2:22 remaining but couldn't hit a field goal in that stretch. And even when Nova's Brandon Slater turned the ball over late with a 1-point lead, Georgetown couldn't get a shot off, turning the ball over 14 seconds later.

Florida Atlantic 76, Western Kentucky 62When Jamarion Sharp was doing things like this, the Hilltoppers had a chance. Then, the No. 24 Owls (17-1, 7-0 in C-USA) took flight. Ranked for the first time ever (!), their 14-5 run midway through the second half pushed them past Western Kentucky (11-7, 3-4) and gave them a 2-game lead in C-USA. FAU has won 16 straight, the second-longest streak in D-I.

Charleston 82, William & Mary 54The nation's longest win streak is 18 games after the Cougars (19-1, 7-0 in CAA) handled the Tribe. Ante Brzović led No. 18 Charleston with 17 points, which probably won't be severely tested until next week's trip to Drexel.

Middle Tennessee 74, UAB 73, OTDeAndre Dishman scored 15 points and sealed a big win for the Blue Raiders (11-7, 4-3 in C-USA) with two free throws in the final 10 seconds of overtime. The Blazers (13-6, 4-4) have lost four of their past five games.

Fairleigh Dickinson 65, Stonehill 57The Knights (12-8, 5-0 in NEC) got 21 points from Demetre Roberts and remained the only team unbeaten in the NEC standings.

Texas Southern 84, Jackson State 82John Walker III scored 28 for the Tigers (5-14, 1-5 in SWAC), but freshman guard Chris Craig hit the biggest shot of the night (and his only bucket).

Eastern Washington 64, Montana 57The Eagles (12-7, 6-0 in Big Sky) remained the only team unbeaten in Big Sky conference play. Four players scored in double figures, led by Ethan Price's 13 points.

3. Showdown in the Sunflower State

Let's get the ridiculousness out of the way: Kansas has won seven straight against Kansas State and 22 of the past 25. It is 203-94 all-time vs. Kansas State and is 29-5 at Bramlage Coliseum. Those 203 wins are the most against one foe all-time in the NCAA.

So why will tonight's game between No. 2 Kansas (16-1, 5-0 in Big 12) and No. 13 Kansas State (15-2, 4-1) be any different?

Well, for starters, the Field of 68 will be on-site for a live postgame stream (and something fun beforehand, but the specifics are still TBD.) You know it's a big game when Goodman and Dauster are in town.

ANYWAY, the real reason?

"Offensive firepower has doubled," KU coach Bill Self said Monday. "They lost [Nijel] Pack, but they replaced him with some guys that can really score the ball. [Markquis] Nowell's having a player-of-the-year type year, [Keyontae] Johnson's the second-leading scorer in the league, and they've recruited unbelievably well."

This is the team that dumped 116 points on Texas. In regulation. Nowell and Johnson are the stars. Both score efficiently and at all three levels (they're a combined 38 percent from beyond the arc), which opens up scoring opportunities for teammates. Only Baylor has been a more efficient scoring offense during Big 12 play.

"Their entire team plays with a freedom offensively that you don't see very often. They have freedom to go make plays and take shots. And Nowell, he gave us fits last year over there. He and Pack dominated the game the first half over there."

As a reminder, K-State was 10-7 overall when it hosted Kansas on Jan. 22 last season. Pack and Nowell combined for 51 points — on 32 shots — and led by as many as 16 points. With an upgraded offense and defense, it's a game that shouldn't be anything less than spectacular.

For his part, K-State coach Jerome Tang is less interested in the rivalry aspect as a motivating factor for fans on Tuesday or the long-term health of the program.

Big picture, Tang is right, though it'll take a while for K-State fans to accept his reasoning. Not when they're looking at a chance to get a win against one of the sport's standard-bearers.

"It's a rivalry game whether we're both ranked or not," Self said. "But certainly it adds a lot more to it when both teams are good."

4. Two impact 2024 recruits settle on schools

North Carolina is fully preparing for the day when Caleb Love and RJ Davis are no longer in the backcourt. Last month, UNC added 5-star point guard Elliot Cadeau. Today it grabbed him a running mate in Ian Jackson, the No. 2-rated recruit in the class of 2024.

Those two, along with 4-stars James Brown and Drake Powell, give the Heels the top group for 2024. Guess Jon Scheyer isn't the only one on Tobacco Road who can reel in big classes.

Jackson, a 6-4 shooting guard, chose UNC over Kentucky, Arkansas, LSU and Oregon. He raved about the "family aspect" at UNC. His wiry, quick-twitch athleticism pairs well with his decision-making, though he isn't a consistent shooter yet. Could he play more on the wing, thanks to his frame and defensive ability? That's possible, especially given the Heels might have a glut of guards with 2023 prospect Simeon Wilcher and projected multi-year players Seth Trimble and D'Marco Dunn.

But that's North Carolina. You expect the Heels to add 5-star players. The lasting impact of Airious "Ace" Bailey heading to Rutgers might be the biggest recruiting story of the month.

News that the 6-foot-10 forward out of Georgia was headed to Piscataway came just hours after it beat Ohio State on Sunday. But the Scarlet Knights were favored to win that game. This was a complete surprise. Why make the announcement now?

"So I can worry about school and working out," Bailey told 247 Sports. "I just want to grind, get this decision out of the way and just work."

That's promising for coach Steve Pikiell. Bailey is the highest-rated recruit in Rutgers' history and chose it over the likes of Kentucky, and Auburn, among others. Some think his star potential is the best in the class of 2024. If that's even close to true, we'll need to get used to seeing Rutgers in the mix for Big Ten titles.

5. The NCAA's plea to Congress

When the NCAA announced outgoing Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker as its new president, most assumed it sent a signal that the NCAA would be asking/pleading/begging Congress for help in sorting out how to approach NIL and — more importantly — athletes as employees.

Those assumptions were confirmed last week during the NCAA's State of College Sports event. Baker spoke for the first time, but the real subtext was lifted by Baylor president Linda Livingstone, the chair of the NCAA Board of Governors.

From Matt Brown's excellent Extra Points newsletter:

I get it. Schools are worried about the uncertainty around the NCAA's model and what it means for college sports in the future. But we're asking Congress to step in and make the call? The people who can't agree on anything, change laws to suit whatever party is in power and has spent the past 40 years kicking various cans down the road, such as social security funding?

Ideally, the NCAA would be the ones establishing rules, providing guidance and ensuring sports are secure for a future that accounts for changes outside of the game. Maybe it's not up for the job. But if that's the case, shouldn't Congress be rethinking the NCAA in general, and not just the rules?

Valley headline

The Ohio Valley's always been a college hoops haven. It's a place where stars from Fly Williams to Ja Morant thrived, and programs such as Western Kentucky, Austin Peay and Murray State pulled off March miracles.

This season, the conference is adjusting to new members in Little Rock, Lindenwood and Southern Indiana, and also to life under a more "normal" schedule without extensive COVID challenges.

Amid that, SIU Edwardsville, now in its 15th D-I season, is 14-5 (a D-I best for them) and 5-1 in the Ohio Valley, a start that's exactly what coach Brian Barone wanted. Barone, 45, played at Texas A&M for his dad, Tony, for Tom Crean at Marquette (just before their Final Four run), and then worked his way through the coaching ranks. He took some time to answer Four Questions.

Q: Your defense took a jump this season, which has been on display in your win against Saint Louis on Dec. 21 and ever since conference play began. What's been the driving force behind that jump?

Brian Barone: The biggest thing is just the ability to implement a day-to-day practice and game plan. If you look at our last two years, we haven't had the opportunity during conference season to practice. We've had three or four games a week for two straight years. That's significant. At one point, we were playing 19 basketball games in like 42 days. Some days, it felt like we didn't know who we were playing. Now we're able to implement a game plan, we're able to be on the court together instead of just those 40 minutes during the game, or maybe an hour or so, in between the games. Our guys have really started playing off each other better. It's neat to see the relationships that have been built and the brotherhood that is going on with the team as this year continues.

Q: Your team's not huge — the Wright twins [Shamar and Lamar] are long — but I don't think anyone would say sophomore DeeJuan Pruitt is small. He's 6-8, 230 and has really been the driving force behind your improvement on the offensive glass. His shooting has improved and his production's up across the board. Is he the best way to describe how your players have developed individually?

Brian Barone: He's in the gym all the time and is a self-driven person. And we did anticipate him developing because we worked on a lot of ball skills and shooting this offseason; he was willing to do it and wanted to do it. So now he has a skill set on the perimeter and can stretch the defense. But he also knows where his bread is buttered. He is going and getting those rebounds out of his area. And to me that's the biggest growth in his game; his understanding. It's almost like a chess match to him. He's thinking 'OK, we just went on a 5-0 run, but if I can get this here, or make a stop here, we can stretch it even further.'

Q: You haven't had a linear path to a head-coaching job. Your dad (Tony) was a coach. You got to play for him and you probably caught the coaching bug early. And along the way, you worked on staffs with great coaches like Porter Moser, Tom Crean. You got to play with and then coach with Brian Wardle, you've been in the JUCO ranks and now you're a head coach, but then you got the gig and COVID happened. For all those stops along the way and the different challenges you've passed, it must feel more than a little gratifying in this progression to be in your fourth year at a program and have some success.

Brian Barone: It is nice because when you sit down with Lamar Wright or you're recruiting Ray'Sean Taylor, you're talking about this vision. Here's my makeup, here's the path that I'm gonna try to do. And this is based on the belief I have in the players that hey, 'I think we can do this.' Unfortunately, our path was unique the last couple of years, no doubt about that. But what you do is just draw upon those previous experiences. You mentioned Porter and coach Crean, and Mike Dean, and obviously, my dad — who who who's my hero along with my mom — you draw upon what made them successful. The thing that was the common theme through any successes or failures, whether it was 15-14 at Marquette, or whether we were making the tournament, the common theme was relationships.

So I think when you go through all the kind of chaos that we've been going through in the trajectory that's gotten me to this point right now, that's kind of my beacon. You know, we have a thing 'Put family in basketball, don't take the family out of basketball.' One of my dad's players said that at his funeral and it stuck with me. And so what I've learned from all those people and the coaches, all those Xs and Os are great, but you have to invest in the relationships for you to have success, at least the way I do it.

I got the coaching but when I was 8, 9, 10, 11 years old because I remember all those guys when I was little. I don't even remember them as players. I remember them as people that were just around. That's why I got into this thing, but it kind of centers you and you think about what's important for our relationship right now. And then, now let's figure out this ball screen.

Q: Did Dwyane Wade ever send a 'thank you' note to you and Brian [Wardle] for ensuring he was set up for success so Marquette could get to that Final Four? I'm sure he thinks of it that way.

Brian Barone: "You know, I think he's got some really special gift that just isn't done yet and isn't totally ready to send. (laughs) My kids laugh all the time because they know Brian or Mike Bargain, who's at Bradley as well, or some of my other college teammates. And they're just like 'Why didn't you hang out with Dwyane Wade more?' Well, if I knew he was gonna be that good, I would've been walking down to Johnson Hall with him."

SIE Edwardsville plays host to Morehead State on Thursday.

Tame the Tigers?

When Clemson travels to Wake Forest for what could be the game of the night, it'll also mark the first time the Tigers have been ranked in two years. And yet, No. 19 Clemson (15-3, 7-0 in ACC) isn't favored against Wake (13-5, 5-2). Does that make Brad Brownell's team this season's Providence? The program that doesn't rate well in predictive metrics but just keeps winning and, thus, cofounding everyone? Guard Brevin Galloway told the AFTER DARK crew how the Tigers have put together their seven-game win streak and what's ahead tonight. (9 pm ET, ESPN+; it's on Plus? More disrespect!)

More games to watch (All times ET)

• Texas (15-2, 4-1 in Big 12) at Iowa State (13-3, 4-1), 8 pm (ESPN+)

• Tennessee (14-3, 4-1 in SEC) at Miss State (12-5, 1-4), 7 pm (ESPN2)

• Penn State (12-5, 3-3 in Big Ten) at Wisconsin (11-5, 3-3), 8:30 pm (Big Ten Network)

• Nevada (15-4, 5-1 in MWC) at Boise State (14-4, 4-1), 9 pm

• Houston (17-1, 5-0 in AAC) at Tulane (12-5, 5-1), 7 pm (ESPN+)

• Murray State (10-8, 5-3 in MVC) at Belmont (13-6, 6-2), 9 pm (CBS Sports Network)

Beasts of the Big East

Xavier has won 11 straight games. It's alone atop the Big East after big wins against Marquette, Creighton, Nova and UConn. Most know their offense driving their success, but what's the propelling force behind that offense? Is it the balance from 1 to 5? is it the impact of transfer point guard Souley Boum? Is it both?

Boum joined AFTER DARK and discussed what's been working for Xavier.

Subscribe to The Field of 68 AFTER DARK on YouTube and click here subscribe to the AFTER DARK podcast.

Links as you question whether or not you want to spend four hours at a movie theater:

• Alabama coach Nate Oats says his team will "need additional support going forward" as they deal with the fallout of Darius Miles' arrest.

• Houston and Kansas stayed 1-2 in the AP poll, while it's only the 23rd time out of 1251 polls that Duke, Kentucky and UNC are all unranked.

• Bama freshman Brandon Miller is on pace to do something only one other college player has ever done.

• Richmond coach Chris Mooney used an interesting challenge to explain the difficulties of scheduling as an A-10 school.

• West Virginia hired former Cincy star DerMarr Johnson as an assistant.

CORRECTION: In yesterday's Daily, we incorrectly stated that Indiana had not advanced past the Sweet 16 since 1993. It did so in 2002 when it made the NCAA title game.