Boys Gone Wild: Zach Edey Final Was Highest-Scoring Game Against UConn
April 11th, 2024 - 9:16
Seven years ago, Kentucky freshman guard Malik Monk may have manufactured the highest single-game scoring output in history against an NCAA champion-to-be when he erupted for 47 points against North Carolina in a non-conference contest at Las Vegas. In 2019, Purdue's Carsen Edwards poured in 42 points against kingpin-to-be Virginia in the South Regional final, matching Bo Kimble's output for Loyola Marymount vs. UNLV in 1990 NCAA playoffs. Notre Dame senior guard Austin Carr poured in 46 against UCLA in 1970-71. Statistical research is sketchy in the 1940s and 1950s in trying to discern if anyone contributed a higher total than Monk or Carr.
This season, St. John's Daniss Jenkins had the highest-scoring game against Connecticut (27 points in Big East Conference Tournament) until Purdue center Zach Edey tallied 37 in NCAA championship contest against UConn. Edey's output was the highest in NCAA playoff history in championship contest for national runner-up and the most in final since Jack Givens' 41-point eruption for champion Kentucky in 1978. Since UCLA's first NCAA championship in 1964, Louisville guard Russ Smith has the lowest scoring average (11.5 ppg in 2011-12) for any player who posted the single-game high against an NCAA titlist.
Some of the names probably will be surprising insofar as none of them became an NBA All-Star since Ray Allen (Connecticut), but following is a look in reverse order at the individuals notching the season-high scoring total against the past 60 eventual NCAA kingpins:
Year Opposing High Scorer vs. NCAA Titlist Avg. Single-Game High 2024 Zach Edey, C, Sr., Purdue 25.2 37 points vs. Connecticut in NCAA final 2023 Bryce Hopkins, F, Soph., Providence 15.8 27 points vs. Connecticut 2022 Nijel Pack, G, Soph., Kansas State 17.4 35 vs. Kansas 2021 Cedric Russell, G, Sr., Louisiana-Lafayette 17.2 26 vs. Baylor at Las Vegas 2021 Taz Sherman, G, Sr., West Virginia 13.4 26 vs. Baylor 2019 Carsen Edwards, G, Jr., Purdue 24.3 42 vs. Virginia in South Regional final 2018 Shamorie Ponds, G, Soph., St. John's 21.6 37 vs. Villanova 2017 Malik Monk, G, Fr., Kentucky 19.8 47 vs. North Carolina at Las Vegas 2016 Ben Bentil, F, Soph., Providence 21.1 31 vs. Villanova 2016 L.J. Peak, G, Soph., Georgetown 12.3 31 vs. Villanova 2015 Michael Gbinije, F, Jr., Syracuse 12.7 27 vs. Duke 2014 Dustin Hogue, F, Jr., Iowa State 11.6 34 vs. Connecticut in NCAA playoffs 2013 Tyler Brown, G, Sr., Illinois State 18.1 25 at Louisville 2012 Russ Smith, G, Soph., Louisville 11.5 30 at Kentucky 2011 Dwight Hardy, G, Sr., St. John's 18.3 33 vs. Connecticut 2010 Trevon Hughes, G, Sr., Wisconsin 15.3 26 vs. Duke 2009 Kyle McAlarney, G, Sr., Notre Dame 15.0 39 vs. North Carolina at Maui 2008 Michael Beasley, F-C, Fr., Kansas State 26.2 39 at Kansas 2007 Al Thornton, F, Sr., Florida State 19.7 28 vs. Florida 2006 Chris Lofton, G, Soph., Tennessee 17.2 29 vs. Florida 2005 Will Bynum, G, Sr., Georgia Tech 12.5 35 vs. North Carolina in ACC Tournament 2004 Chris Thomas, G, Jr., Notre Dame 19.7 31 vs. Connecticut 2003 Chris Hill, G, Soph., Michigan State 13.7 34 vs. Syracuse 2002 Jason "Jay" Williams, G, Jr., Duke 21.3 34 vs. Maryland 2001 James "J.J." Miller, G, Sr., North Carolina A&T 16.0 34 at Duke 2000 A.J. Guyton, G, Sr., Indiana 19.7 34 vs. Michigan State 1999 Trajan Langdon, G, Sr., Duke 17.3 25 vs. Connecticut 1998 Brian Williams, G, Jr., Alabama 16.1 28 vs. Kentucky in SEC Tournament 1997 Isaac Fontaine, G, Sr., Washington State 21.9 32 vs. Arizona 1996 Marcus Camby, C, Jr., Massachusetts 20.5 32 vs. Kentucky at Great Eight 1995 Ray Allen, G, Soph., Connecticut 21.1 36 vs. UCLA in NCAA playoffs 1994 Gary Collier, F, Sr., Tulsa 22.9 35 vs. Arkansas in NCAA playoffs 1993 Chris Webber, F, Soph., Michigan 19.2 27 vs. North Carolina at Honolulu 1993 Randolph Childress, G, Soph., Wake Forest 19.7 27 vs. North Carolina 1993 James Forrest, F, Soph., Georgia Tech 19.5 27 vs. North Carolina in ACC Tournament 1993 Lester Lyons, G, Jr., East Carolina 15.4 27 vs. North Carolina in NCAA playoffs 1992 Malik Sealy, F, Sr., St. John's 22.6 37 vs. Duke at Greensboro 1991 Jeff Webster, F, Fr., Oklahoma 18.3 32 vs. Duke 1990 Greg "Bo" Kimble, F-G, Sr., Loyola Marymount 35.3 42 vs. UNLV in NCAA playoffs 1989 Roy Marble, F, Sr., Iowa 20.5 32 vs. Michigan 1988 Mitch Richmond, G-F, Sr., Kansas State 22.6 35 vs. Kansas 1987 Freddie Banks, G, Sr., UNLV 19.5 38 vs. Indiana in NCAA playoffs 1986 Ron Harper, F, Sr., Miami (oh) 24.4 36 vs. Louisville in Big Apple NIT at Cincinnati 1985 Len Bias, F, Jr., Maryland 18.9 30 vs. Villanova 1984 Chris Mullin, G-F, Jr., St. John's 22.9 29 vs. Georgetown in Big East Tournament 1983 Ralph Sampson, C, Sr., Virginia 19.1 33 vs. North Carolina State 1982 Ralph Sampson, C, Jr., Virginia 15.8 30 at North Carolina 1981 Mike McGee, F, Sr., Michigan 24.4 29 vs. Indiana 1980 Jeff Ruland, C, Jr., Iona 20.1 30 vs. Louisville 1979 Joe Barry Carroll, C, Jr., Purdue 22.8 27 vs. Michigan State 1979 Calvin Roberts, F-C, Jr., Cal State Fullerton 15.3 27 vs. Michigan State 1978 Freeman Williams, G, Sr., Portland State 35.9 39 at Kentucky 1977 Dave Corzine, C, Jr., DePaul 19.0 26 vs. Marquette 1976 Terry Furlow, F, Sr., Michigan State 29.4 40 vs. Indiana 1975 Kevin Grevey, F, Sr., Kentucky 23.5 34 vs. UCLA in NCAA final 1974 Billy Cook, G, Soph., Memphis State 16.2 33 vs. North Carolina State 1973 Billy Knight, F, Jr., Pittsburgh 23.7 37 vs. UCLA 1972 Fred Boyd, G, Sr., Oregon State 19.8 37 vs. UCLA 1971 Austin Carr, G, Sr., Notre Dame 38.0 46 vs. UCLA 1970 Pete Maravich, G, Sr., Louisiana State 44.5 38 vs. UCLA 1970 Rich Yunkus, C, Jr., Georgia Tech 30.1 38 vs. UCLA 1969 Vic Collucci, G, Soph., Providence 15.4 36 vs. UCLA 1968 Elvin Hayes, F-C, Sr., Houston 36.8 39 vs. UCLA 1967 Bill Hewitt, F, Jr., Southern California 19.5 39 vs. UCLA 1966 Jerry Chambers, F-C, Sr., Utah 28.8 38 vs. Texas Western in NCAA playoffs 1965 Ollie Johnson, C, Sr., San Francisco 21.6 37 vs. UCLA 1964 Tom Dose, C, Sr., Stanford 20.0 38 vs. UCLA