Fletcher Loyer, Braden Smith give Purdue basketball veteran presence in win over Gonzaga

PORTLAND, Ore. – Mark Few saw what Purdue fans have already witnessed in the first five games of what should be the long and successful careers of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer.

Two freshmen. Two players who don’t play like rookies and they were veterans Friday night in the biggest game of the young season for the Boilermakers. It would be incorrect to say Loyer and Smith grew up in this battle of ranked teams in the semifinals of the Phil Knight Legacy at the Moda Center.

They’ve already matured. It showed during No. 24 Purdue’s resounding 84-66 victory over No. 6 Gonzaga, advancing coach Matt Painter’s team into Sunday’s championship game against No. 8 Duke.

Countdown to Purdue-Indiana kickoff: Boilermakers in control of Big Ten West

“I thought they were really solid,” Few said of Loyer and Smith. “They played great together. I saw that on film. They’re really smart. They play within themselves, and they accentuate their strengths.”

The play on the floor was exceptional and the numbers back it up.

They combined for 28 points, hitting five 3-pointers, 12 assists and eight rebounds.

Beyond the statistics, Loyer seemed to know how to help the Boilermakers navigate a tough start where they missed 13 of their first 15 shots.

Smith was on the attack in the second half, helping Purdue maintain its double-digit lead by getting in the lane and feeding Zach Edey and Caleb Furst for dunks and layups.

“They’re freshmen. They don’t play like it. They don’t act like it,” said Edey, who totaled 15 of his 23 points in the second half as the Boilermakers outscored the Bulldogs 51-38. “Ever since they stepped on campus they’ve never acted like freshmen. They have good self-confidence and a really high level of self-confidence, which I’m envious of. I don’t think I had that when I was a freshman.”

There are five-star recruits who don’t have the poise, composure and toughness Loyer and Smith put on display against Gonzaga and throughout the early part of the season.

If this is the beginning, just imagine how this ends three or four years from now.

Purdue outlasts West VirginiaHustle plays define early season success

The Boilermakers were shaky early, firing up 3-pointers early and often. While Loyer was the offense during one stretch, it was how the Homestead graduate handled the situation since Purdue was on the verge of getting run out of the home of the Portland Trail Blazers.

“Early on, they went on a run and we were missing some easy shots but that’s fine. We’re going to take those and make those,” said Loyer, who had 14 points and five assists. “Just talking to our team and staying poised and there were a few guys a little bit flustered, but we were meeting at every free throw and talking to each other and talking during timeouts.”

That spells leadership in Matt Painter’s world.

“Both of those guys are confident, and we have to stick with it,” Painter said. “Playing Marquette, West Virginia and Gonzaga, you can see it — they believe in themselves, and they just need to keep getting experiences and getting better.”

It helps to have Edey’s 7-4 frame, which the Bulldogs struggled to deal with in the second half. And when Furst and Mason Gillis — two of the team’s top frontline players — are draining 3-pointers, opposing defenses are put in a bind.

Gonzaga All-American Drew Timme, who totaled 22 points and nine rebounds, called Edey a “moose” but in a flattering way.

“He just camps out down there,” Timme said. “He’s strong, he knows how to use his body. He knows how to get to his hook and you kind of have to put your hands up and hope he misses it. That’s a credit to the work that he’s put in.”

While Loyer and Smith were significant in this victory and deserve a high amount of praise, Purdue played how it needs to in big games against big opponents. Contributions were flowing from different spots.

Furst produced a three-minute stretch of dunks and 3-pointers, scoring eight points. Brandon Newman, who dove into the seats in the front row trying to save the ball and spilled a fan’s beer, was huge on the boards, finishing with six as Purdue outrebounded the Bulldogs by 15.

Another strong floor game from Ethan Morton, who’s totaled 13 assists and no turnovers in the first two games. And another quiet but productive game from Gillis, who collected seven rebounds and nailed two 3-pointers.

It’s just five games into the season with a matchup against another blueblood program coming up Sunday but Purdue has demonstrated it has the ingredients to make this run last for a long time.

“Our guys are competitive, they’re fun to coach and they get along,” Painter said. “They’re out there playing with purpose and that’s what you have to have.”

Mike Carmin covers Purdue sports for the Journal & Courier and USA Today Sports Network. Email mcarmin@gannett.com and follow on Twitter and Instagram @carmin_jc

No. 8 Duke (6-1) vs. No. 24 Purdue (5-0)

• Where: Moda Center, Portland, Ore.

• Time: 3:30 p.m. Sunday

• TV: ABC

• Radio: WAZY (96.5)

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue men's basketball beats Gonzaga to advance in Phil Knight Legacy