UCLA basketball dealt with Tyler Bilodeau as a pivotal injury ahead of Saturday. But another star went down in scary fashion against Purdue. Donovan Dent hit a painful snag and exited early before taking the 73-66 loss.
Dent suffered a lower leg ailment, with a school spokesperson revealing he's completely out of the game during the first half.
The guard entered the Big Ten Tournament semifinal game averaging more than 13 points per contest. He hands UCLA a strong backcourt scoring option for head coach Mick Cronin.
Plus Dent is a big reason why UCLA remains in strong contention to make it into March Madness.
UCLA's Donovan Dent hit history prior to Purdue game
Dent isn't just lauded for his ability to attack the basket. But also for his versatility, which was on display versus Rutgers Friday.
He delivered two 12 marks: 12 points with 12 assists. But he grabbed 10 rebounds too in delivering the triple-double against the Scarlet Knights. Dent made Big Ten Tournament history in the process.
The first triple-double in Big Ten tournament history belongs to Donovan Dent 🔥
He's only the fifth player in UCLA history with a triple-double, and the first since 2013 😤 pic.twitter.com/OQJBiedOAq
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) March 13, 2026
He lifted UCLA into the final four of the conference tournament despite ending with just two points in 10 minutes versus Purdue. This run is significant for the Bruins for multiple reasons.
Cronin dealt with brief player tensions after ejecting his own player on Feb. 18. He threatened lineup changes too three days prior to that Michigan State game. UCLA then faced bubble status ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
Except Team Rankings handed the Bruins a 99% chance to make the field of 68. Now their deep Big Ten tourney run increases their chances to make it in.
