The Duke basketball team will face a center taller than Zach Edey on Thursday.
There is no dominant force better than Zach Edey in college basketball this season but the Duke basketball team will get a test at one of the only players taller than the Purdue star on Thursday night.
Meet Oral Roberts’ 7-foot-5 center Connor Vanover.
You might vaguely remember the name from a season ago when the Blue Devils played Arkansas in the Elite Eight, although he did not play in the matchup.
However, Vanover has found a home with the Golden Eagles, averaging 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game, after beginning his career at California before landing with the Razorbacks.
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The rebounding numbers are low for a player who stands at his height but he only logs 25.8 minutes per contest.
In comparison, Connor Vanover is listed at 7-foot-5, 227 pounds while Purdue’s Zach Edey is a dominant 7-foot-4, 295 pounds.
Edey is the favorite to win the National Player of the Year after posting 22.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks this season and enjoyed a 21-point, 12-rebound showing against the Blue Devils in late November as the Boilermakers rolled to a championship in the Phil Knight Invitational.
Duke basketball could be getting valuable experience
Duke, if victorious this weekend in Orlando, could see Zach Edey and No. 1 seed Purdue once against during the Sweet 16 at Madison Square Garden next weekend and a matchup against Connor Vanover could provide good experience if that comes to fruition.
It will be a challenge for the front-court of Kyle Filipowski, Dereck Lively, and Ryan Young but the Blue Devils have been playing its best basketball of the season, winning nine straight games entering the NCAA Tournament.
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Purdue will face Fairleigh Dickinson in the Round of 64 and then either Memphis or Florida Atlantic in the Round of 32.
Tipoff between No. 5 seed Duke and No. 12 seed Oral Roberts will be on Thursday, March 16 at 7:10p.m. ET (CBS).