EVANSTON, Ill. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a star’s resurgence and a furious late rally, the Purdue Boilermakers escaped Welsh-Ryan Arena with a narrow 70-66 victory over the Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball clash on Wednesday night.

The contest pivoted on a second-half explosion from Purdue guard CJ Cox, who shook off a recent scoring slump to pour in 27 points, 21 of which came after halftime, to will his team back from a nine-point deficit. His performance was the catalyst for a critical 17-2 Purdue run that flipped the game’s momentum and ultimately secured the win for the visiting Boilermakers.

Northwestern, led by a career-high 28 points from junior forward Nick Martinelli of Glenview, Illinois, controlled the first half and much of the second. The Wildcats executed efficiently against a typically stout Purdue defense, building a 43-34 lead with just over 15 minutes remaining. Martinelli was nearly unstoppable, scoring from all three levels and getting to the free-throw line, where Northwestern shot 11 for 12 as a team.

The game’s most important sequence began as the Wildcats’ lead hovered near double digits. Purdue, plagued by 13 turnovers against only two assists for much of the night, finally found an offensive rhythm through Cox. The sophomore from Lexington, Massachusetts, who had averaged just 7 points over his previous three games, caught fire. He connected on a trio of three-pointers during the decisive run, the last giving Purdue a 51-45 lead with 13:22 to play, capping a stretch where the Boilermakers held Northwestern scoreless for over four minutes.

Northwestern refused to fold, with Martinelli and guard Jayden Reid, who finished with 16 points and four assists, repeatedly answering Purdue baskets to keep the margin within one possession in the final minutes. With Purdue leading 66-63 and under a minute to play, Jordan Clayton of Northwestern hit a deep three-pointer to tie the game, sending the home crowd of 7,039 into a frenzy.

Purdue called timeout and ran its offense for Cox, who delivered once more, draining a contested three-pointer from the wing with 48 seconds left to put the Boilermakers ahead for good at 69-66. Northwestern had two chances to tie in the final seconds, but a Martinelli three-point attempt was off the mark, and after a Purdue free throw, a desperation heave at the buzzer fell short.

Beyond Cox’s heroics, Purdue relied on its interior presence and rebounding to overcome a sloppy night. The Boilermakers shot 53% from the field and outrebounded Northwestern 28-18, including an 8-4 advantage on the offensive glass. Oscar Cluff, the 6-foot-11 center from Australia, provided crucial interior play with 9 points, several key rebounds, and a block. Trey Kaufman-Renn added 11 points and Fletcher Loyer scored 10 for Purdue. Point guard Braden Smith managed just 7 points but dished out 9 assists.

For Northwestern, which fell to 13-17 overall, the loss was a bitter one despite a valiant effort. The Wildcats shot 51% from the field and a scorching 44% from three-point range but were undone by Purdue’s second-chance opportunities and the singular brilliance of Cox down the stretch. Clayton finished with 8 points for the Wildcats.

The victory improved Purdue’s record to 23-7 as it heads into its regular-season finale. The Boilermakers, who entered the game as 8.5-point favorites, narrowly covered the spread in a game where the total points, 136, fell well under the projected over/under of 145.5. The win also halted a brief two-game Purdue losing skid, providing momentum as the postseason approaches. Northwestern will look to regroup in its final game before the Big Ten tournament.