C.J. Cox Has Been Right Guy at Right Time for Purdue in NCAA Tournament
In this story:
C.J. Cox's 22 points in two games in St. Louis wouldn't have been enough for him to be the leading scorer in either of Purdue's first matchups against Queens or Texas. Those buckets, though, are a big reason why the Boilermakers are heading to San Jose to play in their third Sweet 16 in as many seasons.
In the first two rounds of March Madness, Cox played a pivotal role in big runs Purdue made to close the first halves against Queens and Miami. His impact was undoubtedly more significant in the latter.
With Purdue trailing Miami 36-29, Cox buried three straight three-pointers in a span of 1:37, making the halftime score 40-38 in favor of the Hurricanes. Without that spark, there's a chance Purdue isn't taking a flight out to California this week.
"That was a huge boost for us," Braden Smith told Sam King of the Journal & Courier. "Having him come in and hit three threes in a row, I mean, that was big time."
Cox scored two more points in the game, a layup off a baseline out-of-bounds play early in the second half, giving Purdue a 45-42 lead. The sophomore then exited the game with a knee injury, never returning to the floor.
Although Cox didn't play in the final 17 minutes of the game because of the injury, his impact at an important time provided a major lift for Purdue.
"I thought C.J. Cox really helped us at the end of the first half by making those three threes," coach Matt Painter said. "That was a big piece of the game."
Cox's performance against Miami was the encore to his effort in Purdue's first-round game against Queens. When the Boilermakers found themselves in a back-and-forth battle, the sophomore guard delivered in a big way.
Purdue led Queens 35-30 with just over three minutes to play in the first half. The Boilermakers then put together a 10-0 run to take a double-digit lead, aided heavily by Cox.
Cox accounted for eight of Purdue's 10 points in that stretch, making two threes and a pair of free throws to help extend the halftime lead. He then knocked down another triple out of halftime, scoring 11 points in a span of three minutes to give the Boilers a 48-33 lead.
In those big moments, Purdue's top options are usually the three senior leaders: Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn. But everyone wearing a black-and-gold uniform has a high level of faith that, when his number is called, Cox can make big shots.
"It's just trust. He's ready, he's a player," Smith said. "He doesn't get his number called for plays a whole lot, so being able to stay ready when those moments do happen, he's not shy to shoot it."
Cox willing to help Purdue any way he can
Being the fourth or fifth scoring option on the floor probably isn't an ideal situation for any player, but because of the offensive firepower Purdue has, that's the situation for Cox. He's not one who gets many shot attempts regularly.
When opportunities come his way, though, he's always ready. We've seen it at times this year. On March 4, he fueled Purdue to a 70-66 win over Northwestern by scoring 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting. The sophomore dropped in 18 in a win over Memphis in the Baha Mar Championship.
Cox's impact goes beyond just scoring points, though. He's often charged with defending the opposing team's top player. He's considered Purdue's best perimeter defender.
He embraces every opportunity he gets to help his team win.
"Whatever the team needs me to do, I'm there to do it," Cox said. "Whether that's knocking shots down, playing defense, just doing whatever I can."
Last weekend, Purdue needed him to make shots at key junctures. He finished the weekend making 7-of-9 attempts from the floor, including 6-of-8 from behind the three-point line.
What will he be required to do on Thursday to help the Boilermakers get a Sweet 16 win over Texas and advance to the Elite Eight? Whatever it is, Cox will be ready for the moment.
Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
Follow SchutteDustin