Purdue basketball advanced to the Big Ten Championship, and they did it by defeating UCLA 73-66. It was a good win for the program, as they had control of the game in the first half and led by seven points going into halftime. UCLA tried to make their run but Purdue held on and did what they had to do to advance.
After the game, head coach Mick Cronin was seen embracing Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith, and probably giving them words of encouragement as they face off against Michigan in the championship.
Mick Cronin showed some love to Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith after Purdue beat UCLA to make the #B1GMBBT final 🤝 pic.twitter.com/oWhmkXMAbf
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 14, 2026
Though they lost, Cronin was proud of how his team competed.
“Extremely proud of my team, down two great players, but we've got other great players. They came up with a valiant, valiant effort today. Couldn't be more proud of them,” Cronin said.
UCLA was in bubble status since they had an 11-loss record. Most believe that they will still get in, as Team Rankings gives them a 100% chance to clinch a spot. That also includes a 95.2% probability to earn an at-large bid.
As for Purdue, it will be interesting to see where they land after their game against Michigan, and their fate will be decided just like everyone else's on Selection Sunday.
Michigan has played well all season, and there's no doubt that Purdue will have a lot to deal with from them on both sides of the ball. If they can control the game as they did against UCLA, there is a good chance they could come out with the victory.
