| Men’s Basketball |
|---|
| Purdue — 73 |
| UCLA — 66 |
It wasn’t the ending UCLA hoped for, but it was a performance that proved how tough this Bruins can be.
Playing without their two key players, No. 6 seed UCLA men’s basketball (23–11, 13–7 Big Ten) fought back from an early deficit and stayed within striking distance all afternoon, but ultimately fell 73–66 to No. 7 seed Purdue (26–8, 13–7 Big Ten) in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
Senior forward Tyler Bilodeau, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer when UCLA defeated Purdue 69–67 at Pauley Pavilion in January, was unavailable after suffering a knee strain in the Bruins’ quarterfinal upset win over Michigan State, while senior guard Donovan Dent played only ten minutes before exiting midway with a calf injury.
Both, however, are expected to return for the NCAA March Madness tournament.
From the opening tip, the game quickly turned chaotic. Senior guard Skyy Clark, who finished with 10 points and three assists, opened the scoring with a mid-range jumper, but Purdue immediately responded with a burst of energy, ripping off a quick 15–0 run in the first four minutes to seize control.
For a moment, it looked like the Boilermakers had already stormed away with it.
Instead, UCLA steadied itself. The Bruins chipped away at the deficit with a 7–0 run, eventually clawing all the way back to tie the game at 17–17. Junior forward Xavier Booker, who ended the afternoon with 12 points, punctuated the comeback with a powerful dunk off a drive-and-kick.
Despite the momentum swing, Purdue regained control late in the half. As the buzzer sounded, Purdue guard Jack Benter knocked down a 3-pointer to extend a 34–27 lead.
Behind strong interior play, the Boilermakers extended the lead to 54–43 with about 11 minutes remaining. UCLA struggled to contain Purdue, particularly senior center Oscar Cluff, who finished with a dominant 17 points and 14 rebounds, including eight offensive boards, and repeatedly paid the price on the glass.
The Bruins kept fighting.
Sophomore guard Trent Perry, who was forced into the playmaking role after Dent left the game, led UCLA with 15 points and nine assists, and began orchestrating the offense. He cut into the deficit with a tough fadeaway jumper to make it 58–52.
Moments later, Clark picked off a steal to bring UCLA within four, and then drilled a corner 3-pointer to make it 58–57. Redshirt sophomore forward Brandon Williams threw down a dunk off a Perry assist to tie the game 62–62 with under five minutes to play.
But the Bruins could never fully take control, and they surrendered an 8-2 run shortly afterward.
The Boilermakers finished with a 37–26 advantage on the boards and secured nearly every missed shot on the defensive end, which forced UCLA to play nearly perfect ball to keep pace.
Purdue ended up closing the game at the free-throw line to secure the 73–66 victory.
However, even in defeat, UCLA showed resilience throughout the week in Chicago. After struggling in Pauley Pavilion for much of the season, the Bruins put together two strong performances in the Big Ten Tournament against Rutgers and Michigan State to reach the semifinals and prove they can compete outside of Los Angeles.
Now, UCLA turns its attention to Selection Sunday, where it will learn its seed, opponent and location for next week’s NCAA Tournament.
