Purdue's Midrange Mastery Propels Boilermakers to Elite 8

Boilermakers thrive on forgotten jump shot to overcome poor 3-point performance against Texas

Mar. 28, 2026 at 2:18am

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Despite a woeful 3-point shooting night, Purdue basketball found success in their March Madness run by mastering the midrange jump shot - a 'lost art' in today's game. Several Purdue players, including CJ Cox, Braden Smith, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, shot over 45% on midrange jumpers, contributing key points in the Boilermakers' 79-77 victory over Texas to reach the Elite 8.

Why it matters

Purdue's ability to effectively utilize the midrange jump shot, an often overlooked area of the court, has been a key factor in their offensive success and March Madness run. In a game where 3-point shooting was off, the Boilermakers were able to adapt and find an alternative scoring source, highlighting their versatility and ability to adjust their game plan.

The details

Purdue shot an impressive 8-of-11 (72.7%) on midrange jump shots against Texas, accounting for 16 of their 79 points. Several players, including sophomore guard CJ Cox (55.3% on 2-pointers beyond 10 feet), Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Omer Mayer, have all shot better than 45% on midrange jumpers this season. This proficiency in the often-forgotten area of the court has contributed to Purdue having the best adjusted offensive efficiency in the 22 seasons of KenPom data.

  • Purdue beat Texas 79-77 on Thursday, March 27, 2026 to advance to the Elite 8.

The players

CJ Cox

A sophomore guard for Purdue who has shot 55.3% on 2-pointers beyond 10 feet this season.

Braden Smith

A 5-foot-10 Purdue player who relies on his midrange jump shot as his 'layup' due to his smaller stature.

Trey Kaufman-Renn

A Purdue player who developed a midrange game, including a floater, after breaking his left wrist his freshman year of high school and being forced to shoot right-handed.

Omer Mayer

A Purdue player who has shot better than 45% on midrange jumpers this season.

Matt Painter

The head coach of the Purdue basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“The midrange is something I used to shoot in middle school and high school. I feel like the midrange shot is an underrated shot. Not a lot of people shoot it. They just think about the 3 and layup. If the opportunity is there, shoot it.”

— CJ Cox, Purdue Sophomore Guard

“The guys that are taking them are the guys that consistently make them. Even though analytically, it says that you want your rhythm 3s. But the defense is also trying to take that away. You want to be able to play at the rim. But sometimes you can't get it to the rim. Like a lot of times people just think you can just organically get whatever you want. You've got to be able to execute and get shots.”

— Matt Painter, Purdue Head Coach

“That's my layup. That's my shot I can go to. I can use my body, bump off defenders and be able to play that in between game. Obviously they've got to respect it. If they don't, I keep shooting my shot that I enjoy shooting. If they do respect it, then I'm making two people guard me and I can dish it out to whoever.”

— Braden Smith, Purdue Player

What’s next

Purdue will face the winner of the Arizona-Gonzaga matchup in the Elite 8 on Saturday, March 29, 2026 with a chance to advance to the Final Four.

The takeaway

Purdue's mastery of the midrange jump shot, a skill often overlooked in the modern 3-point heavy game, has been a key factor in their March Madness success. The Boilermakers' ability to adapt their offensive approach and find alternative scoring sources when their 3-point shooting is off has made them a dangerous team to face in the tournament.