UCLA basketball did not have its leading scorer for the entire second half of Friday's face-off with Michigan State, but in keeping with one of the main themes of March Madness, the Bruins found a way to overcome daunting circumstances and clinched a spot in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Will resilience be enough against a seasoned Purdue team? Maybe so, but this group will need to dig especially deep following the latest Tyler Bilodeau news.
The star forward, who played just 10 minutes before suffering a knee injury in an 88-84 win versus the Spartans, will not play on Saturday, according to Ben Bolch of the California Post. However, there is reason to believe he could potentially suit up for the NCAA Tournament. Tests showed no signs of serious structural damage, per Bolch.
UCLA head coach Mick Cronin would not want to risk his squad's long-term prospects, so fans hope this decision is precautionary more than anything else. Even so, a knee issue could obviously affect the senior's performance. Bilodeau is averaging 17.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and a scorching 46.4 percent from 3-point range. He is an integral part of the team's offense.
But the Bruins did pull off one of their biggest wins of the season without him. New Mexico transfer Donovan Dent scored a game-high 23 points and totaled 12 assists, four steals and six rebounds. One day after posting a momentous triple-double against Rutgers, the 22-year-old point guard put together another Big Ten Tournament gem. Dent has struggled from the floor throughout the year — 26.2 percent from distance — but he has the ability to disarm defenses without warning.
Sophomore Trent Perry added 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting in 30 minutes of action. Tyler Bilodeau is a force, to be sure, but effective guard play can take a team far in March. UCLA basketball will lean on Dent, Perry and Skyy Clark in Saturday's semis matchup versus Purdue. Tip-off will commence at 3:30 p.m. ET.
