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UCLA loses Dent, falls to Purdue in Big Ten Tournament semifinal

March 14, 2026

Replacing your leading scorer, who doubles as the conference’s top marksman from long range, is a tall order. Now take away your playmaking engine, and it becomes like scaling Mt. Everest.

With Tyler Bilodeau sidelined with a knee strain, the sixth-seeded Bruins lost point guard Donovan Dent in the first half and fell 73-66 to seventh-seeded Purdue in Saturday’s Big Ten Conference semifinal at the United Center in Chicago.

After UCLA guard Skyy Clark’s long jumper opened the scoring, Purdue scored 15 unanswered points. The Bruins gathered themselves and went on their own 15-2 run, tying the game at 17 on Xavier Booker’s 3-pointer with 7:06 left in the half.

UCLA (23-11) did part of that without Dent, who left the game about midway through the first half with an apparent calf injury and the Bruins trailing 15-9.

Dent did not return, with UCLA coach Mick Cronin telling CBS’ Tracy Wolfson at halftime that it “was not worth the risk,” with a nod to next week’s NCAA Tournament. Two days earlier, the senior from Centennial High in Corona made Big Ten history with the first triple-double in conference tournament history in a 72-59 victory over Rutgers.

Bilodeau, the Bruins’ 6-foot-9 senior, left Friday’s third-round upset of the eighth-ranked Spartans late in the first half after falling and holding his right knee. The All-Big Ten third-teamer came into the tournament averaging 18 points a game and leading the conference with 46.2% accuracy (60 for 130) from 3-point range.

Bilodeau was diagnosed with a mild strain, with expectations that he will be available for the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins will learn their fate – their seeding, destination and first-round opponent – when the tournament brackets are revealed at 3 p.m. PT Sunday.

Jack Benter’s 3-pointer before the buzzer gave the Boilermakers a 34-27 halftime lead. Fletcher Loyer then kicked off the second half with a couple of deep 3-pointers and suddenly, in just 43 seconds, UCLA found itself trailing by 13.

The Bruins refused to go away, with Clark’s steal and breakaway layup, followed by a 3-pointer, capped a 9-0 run and cut the deficit to 58-57 with 6:14 to play.

Trent Perry’s floater in the lane tied it at 60 with 4:33 to play and a Brandon Williams slam tied it at 62 with 3:41 left.

UCLA couldn’t contain Purdue 6-foot-11 center Oscar Cluff, who delivered in the post and on the boards to help the Boilermakers outscore the Bruins 11-4 down the stretch.

The Bruins came into the game having won six of their last seven games, capped by a 88-84 victory over third-seeded Michigan State on Friday.

Purdue (26-8) will play top-seeded Michigan (31-2), a 68-65 winner over fifth-seeded Wisconsin in Saturday’s earlier semifinal. Big Ten Player of the Year Yaxel Lendeborg’s 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left propelled the No. 3 Wolverines (31-2) into the conference title game at 12:30 PT Sunday.

Orange County Register

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UCLA loses Dent, falls to Purdue in Big Ten Tournament semifinal

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