University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
23-11,13-7Big Ten
Purdue
26-8,13-7Big Ten
Men's Basketball Falls to Purdue at Big Ten Tournament, 73-66
March 14, 2026 | Men's Basketball
CHICAGO – The No. 6-seed UCLA men's basketball team lost to No. 7-seed Purdue, 73-66, in a semifinal contest of the Big Ten Tournament at the United Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Bruins (23-11) trailed Purdue at halftime, 34-27, but rallied back from a 13-point second-half deficit, tying the game twice in the final five minutes. Purdue (26-8) pulled away with three consecutive baskets with under 3:10 left in regulation.
Four UCLA players scored in double figures on Saturday, as Trent Perry totaled at a team-high 15 points and nine rebounds. Xavier Booker had 12 points, Eric Dailey Jr. finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Skyy Clark totaled 10 points and four steals.
Purdue's Oscar Cluff registered 17 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Boilermakers, who advanced to face No. 1-seed Michigan in Sunday afternoon's championship contest. Fletcher Loyer had 14 points and four assists for Purdue, sinking 4 of 10 shots from 3-point range.
UCLA played without senior Tyler Bilodeau (right knee), and senior Donovan Dent exited the game midway through the first half with a calf strain. Dent played just over 10 minutes in the first half. Both players sat out for precautionary reasons but will return for the NCAA Tournament next week.
"Extremely proud of my team, down two great players, but we've got other great players," said Mick Cronin, The Michael Price Family UCLA Men's Head Basketball Coach. "They came up with a valiant, valiant effort today – couldn't be more proud of them. Obviously, Trent played 40 and Eric plays 34. We came back, took a lead. Honestly, what went through the back of my head was how are we going to play tomorrow? We're running out of bodies. Before you ask, Donny has got a calf strain. They were going to talk to me at halftime. I said no need to play. Next week's more important. Guys stepped up on our team. Valiant, valiant effort by some kids that hadn't played a lot – Brandon Williams, Steve Jamerson, Eric Freeny."
Trailing Purdue, 58-48, after a 3-pointer by Gicarri Harris, the Bruins responded with a pull-up jump shot by Xavier Booker and a basket by Perry at the 7:29 mark. Clark followed with a steal and fast-break layup at the 7:08 mark, pulling UCLA to within 58-54. Clark's 3-pointer with 6:14 left in regulation cut Purdue's cushion to 58-57.
UCLA was down, 60-58, before Perry hit a floating jump shot with 4:33 to play, tying the contest at 60-60. Purdue's Trey Kaufman-Renn hit a hook shot with 4:11 remaining, and UCLA's Brandon Williams answered with a dunk at the 3:41 mark.
Purdue pushed away from UCLA in the final 3:30. Cluff had a tip-in layup with 3:09 to go and, after a turnover by the Bruins, C.J. Cox made a driving layup at the 2:41 mark. From that point in the contest, UCLA never cut the Boilermakers' lead to any fewer than four points.
Perry scored 10 of his team-leading 15 points in the second half, dishing out five of his team-best nine assists after halftime.
UCLA was playing its third game in as many days, following tournament victories over Rutgers on Thursday and No. 8-ranked Michigan State on Friday night. The Bruins will await the NCAA Tournament's selection show this Sunday (3 p.m., PT, televised by CBS).
