03/14/26 05:05:00
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03/14 17:03 CDT Cluff scores 17, comes up big down stretch as No. 18 Purdue
beats UCLA to reach Big Ten title game
Cluff scores 17, comes up big down stretch as No. 18 Purdue beats UCLA to reach
Big Ten title game
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) --- Oscar Cluff had 17 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 18 Purdue
beat short-handed UCLA 73-66 on Saturday to advance to the Big Ten Tournament
championship game.
Cluff scored eight points as Purdue (26-8) outscored UCLA (23-11) 11-4 over the
final 3:41. Fletcher Loyer scored 14. Braden Smith contributed nine more
assists, giving him 1,064 in his career. He needs 13 to break Bobby Hurley's
NCAA record of 1,076 for Duke from 1989-93.
Trey Kaufman-Ren added 12 points and 10 rebounds, helping Purdue advance to the
conference final for the first time since winning the tournament in Chicago in
2023. The Boilermakers will meet No. 3 Michigan. The Wolverines, seeking a
championship repeat, beat No. 23 Wisconsin 68-65 when Yaxel Lendeborg made a
tiebreaking 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining.
Already missing star Tyler Bilodeau after he exited Friday's win over No. 8
Michigan State with a right leg injury, UCLA had to get by in the second half
without guard Donovan Dent. He tweaked something in his lower leg and was
limited to two points in 10 minutes after scoring 23 and dishing out 12 assists
against the Spartans.
Trent Perry led UCLA with 15 points. Xavier Booker scored 12, and Eric Dailey
Jr. had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Trailing 58-48, UCLA went on a 12-2 run and tied it at 60 on Perry's jumper
with 4:33 remaining. It was 62-all when Purdue's Oscar Cluff scored on a
tip-in, C.J. Cox drove for a layup and Cluff scored on a put-back with just
over two minutes remaining.
UCLA's Skyy Clark then made it a four-point game with a layup. But Cluff made
four free throws in the final 43 seconds, and the Boilermakers got some payback
for a two-point loss at Pauley Pavilion in January.
Up next
Purdue lost 91-80 to Michigan at home last month even though Trey Kaufman-Renn
scored 27 points.
___
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