The NCAA Tournament first-round game between the 16th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights and the No. 1 seed Purdue Boilermakers is set to take place at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Fairleigh Dickinson’s top “big man” is Ansley Almonor, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 219 pounds.
In the game, Almonor will face Purdue’s centre, Zach Edey, who stands at 7-4 and weighs 305 pounds.
Edey averages 22.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game and dominates the basketball court with his towering presence.
Almonor, a native of Spring Valley, expressed excitement at the prospect of playing on such a grand stage against the best players in the country.
He acknowledged his challenge in guarding Edey, whom he has watched on TV and never seen in person. He plans to get into Edey’s legs to try to slow him down.
Despite Edey’s intimidating presence, there is one potential element to the matchup not to be overlooked.
Almonor is a strong outside shooter, leading FDU with 23 points in their Wednesday night’s First Four win over Texas Southern.
He was 5 of 8 from 3-point range, showing the shooting threat that will lure Edey outside of his comfort zone as a rim protector underneath the basket.
Almonor believes his shooting ability and agility will give him an edge against Edey.
However, on Thursday, Purdue coach Matt Painter revealed that Edey wouldn’t be guarding Almonor.
Instead, the team plans to put Edey on someone else and allow their other players to guard Almonor. Painter acknowledged that Almonor is a great player and that Purdue needs to make changes to counter his abilities.
The matchup between Almonor and Edey will undoubtedly be a highlight of the game, and both players will look to showcase their skills on the court.
While Edey may tower over Almonor, the latter’s shooting ability and agility may give him an edge against the giant center.
»David vs. Goliath: Almonor Takes on Edey in NCAA Tournament Showdown«
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