Purdue’s bench is here – BoilerUpload: Purdue Boilermakers Football & Basketball Recruiting

(Photo by © Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

The Big Ten might have just been put on notice.

Purdue’s first three games of the season were about its star trio with Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Braden Smith leading the way through a 3-0 start.

Purdue’s fourth win of the season, an 87-78 win over #2 Alabama, was about announcing they aren’t alone.

Purdue’s win, its 39th straight non-conference regular season victory, featured a true freshman making his first three pointer, another true freshman going on a 9-0 run in the second half, a sophomore continuing to evolve as a defender, and Purdue’s only senior playing his best basketball since the last time Purdue played Alabama a year ago in another country.

If this is the team that Purdue is going to be going forward, and the bench continues to play this well, Purdue will be doing more than just winning its third straight Big Ten title.

(Photo by © Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

CJ Cox on fire

“We had him down as one of the shooters,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said after the game. “His 18 minutes were big… We didn’t anticipate him being that good but we definitely knew he could shoot it.”

And boy, did CJ Cox shoot it on Friday night in his first career game against a ranked team. The true freshman who came to Purdue with just two D1 offers, and a ranking closer to 300 than 200, helped turn the game for Purdue in the second half.

But I don’t know need to tell you what happened. Matt Painter did that after the game.

“The difference in the game, kind of the swing in the game,” Painter said in his first answer to media after the win. “Was CJ Cox coming in. He ignited the game. They got up six there. I think, 65-59, and then even though he missed his free throw, he had that run where he scoreda bout 9 in it seemed like a minute. I don’t know if it was a minute.”

A media member then provided the seconds: “52 seconds.”

“How much?” Painter asked.

“52…

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Author : Boiler Upload

Publish date : 2024-11-16 04:29:00

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