UCLA Bruins Fall to Purdue in Big Ten Semifinal

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The UCLA Bruins fell to Purdue in the semifinal of the Big Ten Tournament, with head coach Mick Cronin and players Eric Dailey and Trent Perry speaking to the media afterwards. Cronin discussed having to make up for the absence of injured starters Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau, praising the effort of the rest of the team but noting rebounding as the key difference. Dailey talked about the team gelling together down the stretch, while Perry spoke about the valuable experience gained by the Bruins' bench players.

Why it matters

The loss ends UCLA's run in the Big Ten Tournament, but Cronin sees the experience gained by the bench players as potentially beneficial heading into the NCAA Tournament, where the Bruins will look to make a deep run despite the injuries to key starters.

The details

UCLA was without two of its top players, Donovan Dent and Tyler Bilodeau, due to a mild calf strain for Dent. Cronin praised the effort of the rest of the team in trying to make up for their absence, but noted that the difference in the game was Purdue's advantage on the boards. The Bruins' bench players gained valuable experience that Cronin hopes will pay off in the NCAA Tournament.

• The semifinal loss to Purdue occurred on March 13, 2026.

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