ST. LOUIS - CJ Cox injected some serious energy into Purdue's offense during their March Madness Round of 32 matchup against Miami. As the first half wound down, Cox's scoring burst helped Purdue regain momentum.
However, early in the second half, the sophomore guard had to be helped off the court with what looked like a right leg injury, leaving fans holding their breath. According to the CBS broadcast, his return was uncertain. Although Cox came back to the bench, he didn’t make it back onto the court.
The injury occurred during a fastbreak play with 17:04 remaining, as Purdue held a slim 45-42 lead over Miami. Purdue coach Matt Painter later commented, "He hyperextended his knee, so we'll kind of see how treatment goes and everything to see what his status is."
Despite the setback, the Boilermakers rallied to secure a 79-69 victory over the Hurricanes, earning a spot in the Sweet 16 against Texas. While Cox's status for the upcoming game is still up in the air, there’s a hopeful outlook.
Cox himself mentioned that he received ice treatment for his knee on Sunday and felt he could have returned to the game if necessary. Before his injury, Cox was on fire, racking up 11 points with a remarkable nine points coming in just 1:37 late in the first half.