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No one’s going to fault Zach Edey for dropping an F-bomb on national TV, even on Easter Sunday.
The Purdue big man couldn’t contain the excitement over the Boilermakers’ first trip to the Final Four since 1980 after they defeated Tennessee, 72-66.
The 7-foot-4 Edey has been a big part of the Boilermakers’ run through the NCAA Tournament and he was again in Sunday’s win, as he put up a career-high 40 points and pulled down 16 boards in the process.
Afterward, when he spoke with CBS sideline reporter Evan Washburn, Edy couldn’t help but let his emotions get the best of him in the moment.
“They thought they knew us, man,” Edey said emphatically on live television. “They thought they knew what we had in our hearts. I promise you, they didn’t. We’re f–king winners. This is what we do.”
The F-bomb aired uncensored during the broadcast, but CBS did share an edited version on social media afterward.
The victory on Sunday sets the stage for Purdue to face one of the biggest surprises of the tournament next Saturday in NC State, which defeated Duke to punch its ticket to the Final Four.
The Purdue big was able to cut down the net without using a ladder after the game, leaving many people on social media in awe.
Edey was not shy in discussing the journey he’d been on to get to the Final Four and the coaches who didn’t think he’d be able to do much in college.
That apparently included Tennesee’s head coach.
“I get to pay him back. There was so many coaches that looked over me,” Edey said with a piece of the net resting around his neck. “You could name a program and I could name a coach that looked over me. At Tennessee, Rick Barnes is a great coach, but he was at a bunch of our practices. He looked over me. It’s kind of been the story of my life.
“People have doubted me. People have looked past me and can’t do that anymore.”