Cluff scores 17, comes up big down stretch as No. 18 Purdue beats UCLA to reach Big Ten title game

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Purdue center Oscar Cluff, right, celebrates with guard Fletcher Loyer after scoring a basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against UCLA in the semifinals of the Big 10 Conference tournament, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Purdue center Oscar Cluff (45) battles for a rebound with UCLA guard Skyy Clark during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Big 10 Conference tournament, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) — Purdue center Oscar Cluff, right, celebrates with guard Fletcher Loyer after scoring a basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against UCLA in the semifinals of the Big 10 Conference tournament, Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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3:03 PM on Saturday, March 14

By ANDREW SELIGMAN

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 strained a calf 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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