After taking down Northwestern and Nebraska, both by double digits, Purdue will now face a second matchup with UCLA who took them down earlier in the season. UCLA lost starter Tyler Bilodeau to a knee injury last night against Michigan State. UCLA head coach Mick Cronin said it would take a “miracle” for him to play but there’s not been an official announcement as of this writing. It’s a chance for revenge for the Boilermakers and an opportunity for them to make it back to the Big Ten Tournament
Championship game against either Wisconsin or Michigan, two more teams who beat the Boilermakers this season. Purdue can’t look ahead though as today’s matchup will be a tough one as this is a Bruins team who is playing good basketball.
You can take a look at our preview of this matchup before you head to your couch, or hopefully the United Center(?), to see the Boilermakers take on the Bruins.
Who: #18 Purdue vs. UCLA
When: Saturday, March 14, 2026 – 3:30 p.m. ET (time is approximate as this is the second matchup of the session)
Where: Chicago, IL – United Center – Capacity – 20,917
TV: CBS
Purdue Radio: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
So come and join your fellow Boilermaker fans in our fan discussion (formerly known as the open thread) as we talk about Purdue versus the UCLA Bruins in the semifinals of the 2026 Big Ten Tournament.
