Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball rival losing big man to the NBA

The good news just keeps coming for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Fresh off a win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers that was one heck of a statement for their NCAA Tournament resume, they also got some good news for next year. The Purdue Boilermakers are apparently going to lose one of (if not the) best big men in the game.

Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter told CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein that Zach Edey will not return for another season. For those who might be surprised that was even an option, thanks to the 2020 COVID pandemic, Edey was eligible for a 5th year.

However, at least for now, Edey has decided that he's going to finally head to the NBA. It makes too much sense for him not to.

Fresh off a national player of the year campaign, the Purdue center has been even more dominant in his senior season than in his award-winning junior campaign. He's averaging 23.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks a game while shooting 62.7% from the floor for third-ranked Boilermakers.

Those numbers have him poised for another award. His team has itself poised for one final run at the National Title, though they need to make sure and sew up a Big Ten title first.

Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball rival losing Zach Edey to the NBA

Edey did test the NBA Draft waters last year, though he eventually decided he wanted to come back for one more season. It appears that this time around, he's made up his mind and is on the way out the door.

It's worth pointing out that the Nebraska Cornhuskers are one of the only teams that have really found a way to slow the big man down. This year, the Huskers upset Purdue thanks in no small part to holding him to just 15 points and 7 rebounds.

Last year he scored just 12 and 11 points in two contests against the Huskers.

Having said that, it's a safe bet that the Nebraska Cornhuskers basketball team still won't miss Zach Edey once he's gone.