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Published Mar 22, 2025
CJ Cox returns home, shines in front of family and friends in NCAA Tourney
Casey Bartley  •  BoilerUpload
Basketball Columnist
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@CBartleyRivals

It's a casual pass across court by McNeese early in Purdue-McNeese's round of 32 game in Providence, Rhode Island.

CJ Cox, he doesn't do casual. He's also home, after a year away, his friends, family, and old coaches are able to watch and cheer as Cox sees the pass, cut in front of it, and take it the other way.

McNeese is fast, too fast, and Cox sees that, too. As he gets to the hoop, he slows down, he euros, and then crosses to the other side of the basket as a McNeese defender flies by him, and you know what, it does look casual.

He goes up with his left hand, momentum nearly all the way stopped, and puts the easy lay up up and into the hoop.

Cox's defense was what first caught Matt Painter's eye, but it was those people in the stands, the people that care about Cox, that made Painter pay attention.

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