Clifford Lights Up Big Ten Playoffs for Purdue!
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.