Purdue coach Matt Painter explains how Boilermakers landed CJ Cox
CJ Cox was a lightly recruited guard when Purdue coach Matt Painter saw him while recruiting someone else. Hear Painter explain how he landed Cox.
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue basketball concluded the non-dramatic half of its exhibition schedule with a 99-41 victory over Grand Valley State on Wednesday night.
Not the same competition level as the Boilermakers faced at Creighton, but a final tune-up for Monday’s season opener against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Purdue led 40-12 at one point and did what it was supposed to do against this level of opponent.
All ratings out of 10; *denotes Man of the Match
STARTERS
∎ Braden Smith: 7/10
Didn’t immediately lock into the game flow tonight the way he did at Creighton, where he showed off an increased aggressiveness as a shooter. Stayed productive when shots didn’t fall via three first-half assists. Also better defensive intensity after coach Matt Painter called him and the other returning starters out for their performance in the first exhibition.
∎ Fletcher Loyer: 8/10
Found multiple ways to get to the free throw line, making 6-of-7 there to lead Boilers scorers in the first half. Also bounced back defensively and was on the floor while GVSU endured an 0-for-7 shooting effort over seven scoreless minutes early in the game.
∎ Gicarri Harris: 8/10
Smith might be the player other Big Ten teams’ fans hate the most, but Harris might be the one opposing players get fed up with rather quickly. He really harasses people defensively, and because he shares minutes, it feels even more relentless. Also did a good job playing through his defense, letting the offense come to him and picking his moments of aggression.
∎ Trey Kaufman-Renn: 9/10*
We still have not really seen Kaufman-Renn exploiting that skill advantage against opposing centers. He looked like a man among boys for an early stretch tonight and posted a double-double in his first 16 minutes on the floor. Established an immediate and palpable presence, which if replicated against tougher competition can carry Purdue a long way.
∎ Daniel Jacobsen: 6/10
The freshman received the start after coming off the bench vs. Creighton. Showed some mid-range touch but isn’t trying to do too much offensively. The lack of strength does show up around the basket at times, though he asserted himself more in the paint offensively as the game went on. Not there yet, but you can see where it’s going.
RESERVES
∎ C.J. Cox: 8/10
Has been an energy burst off the bench in both exhibitions. While Creighton saw the defensive intensity, tonight the freshman showed off his offensive confidence.
∎ Camden Heide: 5/10
Simply not showing up much yet. He won’t need to fill up box scores, but he also needs to avoid moving screens and other turnovers. Would be nice to see a bigger rebounding contribution, especially in a plus-matchup like this.
∎ Myles Colvin: 7/10
One first-half sequence showed what kind of catalyst he can be. Hit a 3, drove for a layup and scored off a put-back in the span of a couple of minutes. Finished with 10 points in 12 minutes, and his season will be all about maximizing those minutes.
∎ Raleigh Burgess: 6/10
Showed flashes in the exhibitions of what made him one of Painter’s favorite preseason stories. Painter has also talked about the lack of separation in the frontcourt, which makes projecting minutes for the entire season difficult. Burgess will, at worst, be a long-term factor, but he’s proved he can hold his own now.
∎ Will Berg: 6/10
Needed a confidence-boosting game after his foul trouble stapled him to the bench at Creighton. Was able to assert himself around the basket in the second half. Chipped in six points and six rebounds in his 10 minutes. Purdue is trying to find the best 40 minutes of center play on any given night. This was a decent baseline performance from a utility standpoint.
∎ Caleb Furst: 6/10
Scrapped his way to four points, two rebounds and two assists. Again, it’s all about stitching together those 40 minutes under the basket.
∎ Brian Waddell: 7/10
One Painterism we’ve heard throughout the preseason is how tough it is to play consistent with inconsistent minutes. Waddell will have that tough assignment all season, and to his credit, he’s making positive contributions. Being the bridge that buys Loyer a breather on occasion will have real value in the season.
∎ Jack Benter: 6/10
Made his debut after not playing at Creighton. As soon as he got in, made a defensive stop and hit a couple of free throws. A good redshirt candidate — and this program is full of coaches and players for whom that decision paid off.
