Only 36.9 seconds remained on the clock when Matt Painter sent senior guard Chase Martin into the National Championship Game. Purdue lost to UConn 75-60, coming up one win short of bringing an NCAA trophy home to West Lafayette.
For Chase, it was his last opportunity to step on the court for the Boilermakers. As those final seconds dwindled and the buzzer sounded at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., the senior guard wasn’t thinking about the next chapter of his life.
Thoughts of a successful season, an emotional NCAA Tournament run and a disappointing ending filled Chase’s mind.
“I wasn’t exactly sure what the future held after the championship,” he said. “We were on such an emotional roller coaster. After falling short, I didn’t have it on my mind what I was set on doing.”
Purdue played UConn in the National Championship Game on April 8. Just 12 days earlier, Chase’s father, former Boilermaker player and assistant coach Cuonzo Martin, was named the coach at Missouri State.
It was the place where Cuonzo got his start as a head coach back in 2008 — and a place where Chase developed a love and passion for basketball.
In the weeks between Purdue’s season ending and the start of summer practices at Missouri State, Chase felt a strong desire to continue his college career. He decided to use his extra year of eligibility — and he was going to play for his father.
Chase’s decision to attend Purdue wasn’t quite as simple as some might believe. It would be easy to assume it was based on following in his father’s footsteps.
After all, Cuonzo was a standout player at Purdue. He was a two-time Big Ten champion (1994 and 1995), a member of the 1994 squad that reached the Elite Eight, and a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 1995.
But Chase had options as a student-athlete. He was the valedictorian at Tolton Catholic High School in Columbia, Mo,. and wanted to pursue a degree in engineering.
When it came to choosing a school, an emphasis was placed on institutions with strong academic rigor. That’s what Cuonzo and his wife, Roberta, wanted for their son.
“During that period, my parents were pushing more towards a place where I could get a good education,” Chase said. “They really pushed me to look at universities that had a high academic value.”
Chase was interested in attending an Ivy League school. There were also thoughts of heading to the West Coast, Cal and Stanford, in particular.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, a lot of uncertainty surrounded Ivy League athletics for the 2020-21 academic year. As much as Chase and his family emphasized education, he didn’t want to surrender the opportunity to play basketball his freshman season.
“Ivy League schools didn’t have a season my first year,” Chase said. “So, when I had an offer from Coach Painter to join the team, I took that opportunity knowing they had a great basketball program for a really long time.”
Twenty-five years after Cuonzo wore the black-and-gold uniform, Chase would become another member of the Martin family to wear “Purdue” across his chest – and attend a university known for its College of Engineering.
Although Cuonzo had plenty of knowledge about life at Purdue as a player (1991-95) and assistant coach (2000-08), he wanted his son to have his own experiences in West Lafayette.
“I didn’t give him insight on what it’s like to play at Purdue,” Cuonzo said. “He had to navigate it on his own. My wife and I were there to assist.”
With that help from his parents, Chase navigated Purdue. He was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, maintained a 3.5 grade point average throughout his college career, and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in May 2024.
Like his father, Chase was also a member of teams that won back-to-back regular season Big Ten championships (2023, 2024). The on-court success was great, but it was ultimately the work he did in the classroom that impressed his father most.
“The man has only had two Bs in his life,” Cuonzo said. “He was in an elite educational program, elite basketball program. That’s demanding. That’s high level.”
Chase admits that his father might be embellishing a little bit — as any proud dad would about his son’s accomplishments. But the younger Martin takes a lot of pride in the work he put in as a student.
“He may have lied to you there, I may have had a few more (Bs),” Chase said with a laugh. “But I still kept above a 3.5 for my entire college career. I’m pretty proud of that.”
The Martin family is part of Purdue history
After 44 long years, dreams finally became a reality for Purdue. On March 29, sophom*ore guard Fletcher Loyer launched the ball into the air at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., as the Boilermakers defeated Tennessee 72-66 in the Elite Eight.
It marked the first time since 1980 that Purdue reached the Final Four.
“I was happy for them. Me as a former player, I was happier they made it to the Final Four than the championship, because I know how difficult it is to get to that point,” Cuonzo said. “To achieve that — it was special.”
Cuonzo was a member of a 1994 Purdue team that was special in its own right. That team was headlined by National Player of the Year Glenn Robinson. The Boilermakers reached the Elite Eight but fell one win shy of reaching college basketball’s pinnacle event, falling 69-60 to Duke.
Thirty years later, Cuonzo watched his son make history.
“My son was able to do something I wasn’t able to do,” he said. “That’s special. I think that’s something we’re going to be able to laugh and smile about 20 or 30 years down the road.”
Chase admits that, at times, things were difficult at Purdue — especially during his freshman year. And, with the availability of the transfer portal, there were times when he debated whether he should scope out greener pastures.
Ultimately, though, he knew West Lafayette was the best option to pursue his goals. More importantly, he wanted to push through those trying times and help Purdue become a better program.
“I didn’t want to quit on Purdue. I was part of so much success, I made great friends, I got a great education,” Chase said. “Just because I may have had an opportunity somewhere else, it doesn’t mean it was the best choice for me. I have no regrets.”
Chase’s perseverance through difficult moments paid off. He was part of the first Purdue team to reach the Final Four since 1980 and the first to play in the National Championship Game since 1969.
He cherishes every part of that experience.
“It’s great to be part of that kind of success,” he said. “Since I got there, we took the program to another level. Getting to a National Championship Game, it was great being part of that kind of history.
“You reset the standard of what it means to be successful within the program.”
When the time came for Chase to make a decision regarding his future, he had plenty of options. As he was putting on the cap and gown to celebrate his time at Purdue, there were a few suitors interested in what the new mechanical engineering graduate could offer.
“I had gotten a couple job offers and had met with a couple companies — Lockheed Martin, Oracle,” Chase said. “They were impressed with how well I did academically while playing basketball. I did consider that route.”
As enticing as it was for a new graduate to jump at a job offer, Chase didn’t believe it was the right time to end his athletic career. He still had that itch to return to the court.
So, with that last year of eligibility sitting on the table, Chase decided to play for his father.
“I didn’t feel like I was ready to give up basketball just yet. I had it in my heart that I wanted to play that last year,” he said. “Then it came down to talking to my dad and other coaches and feeling like I had an opportunity, so it felt like the best fit for me to go to Missouri State.”
This will be Cuonzo’s first experience coaching his son. It’s a thrilling opportunity that comes with a learning curve.
“I was excited,” Cuonzo said of Chase’s decision to go to Missouri State. “The man has a degree in mechanical engineering, and he came here to hang around his pops. So I’m overwhelmed.
“It’s all new because coaching your son is different. I don’t have any experience in that. When he was younger (and playing sports), I wanted to be on the sideline. It’s one thing at a time, one day at a time. There’s really no blueprint.”
The father-son dynamic is obviously a very beneficial piece for Cuonzo and Chase, who will get to share an entire season together. But there’s also a lot of value in what the younger Martin brings to the Bears basketball program.
Chase’s time spent within the winning culture at Purdue is an important asset to Missouri State.
“Winning is contagious,” Cuonzo said. “Being responsible, being accountable. What it means to sacrifice for the betterment of the team. Setting new standards. Raising your expectations. He’s been part of all of that.”
“I’ve seen what winning is on a very high level. You want to recreate that and take it to a new height,” Chase said. “After making it to a championship game, you just want to get there again. You want to win a conference championship and conference tournament and make the NCAA Tournament. You want that hype, that success, that enjoyment. Bring people back to supporting MSU basketball.”
As much as they keep their language professional when it comes to basketball, Chase couldn’t help but reveal another reason why he wanted to spend that final year of eligibility at Missouri State — a more sentimental aspect of playing for his father.
“I want to win for him,” he said. “I want to help his first year back at Missouri State get off with a bang.
“Really get his return to coaching started off right.”
