trent perry stepped into the final minute with the game tightening and the margin shrinking, then calmly converted at the free-throw line to help UCLA close out an 88-84 win over Michigan State in Chicago and advance to the Big Ten tournament semifinals.
How did Trent Perry swing the final possessions?
Michigan State’s comeback reached a peak when it cut UCLA’s lead to four with 2: 34 remaining. UCLA point guard Donovan Dent answered with a decisive play, jumping in front of a pass from Michigan State’s Kur Teng for a steal and then making two free throws.
The Spartans still had life. After Dent missed a free throw with 51 seconds left, Teng knocked down a corner three to slice the lead to two. On the next crucial trip to the line, Trent Perry made two free throws. The closing sequence turned even more physical: Perry later hit four free throws in the final 12 seconds, all after absorbing a hard foul to the head. Dent secured the finish with one last steal—his fourth of the game—to seal the victory.
What changed from UCLA’s February low point to Friday’s surge?
Less than a month earlier, UCLA’s meeting with Michigan State on the Bruins’ home floor had been described internally as an eye-opening low. The game slipped away early, the deficit ballooned beyond 30 at one point, and UCLA coach Mick Cronin ejected one of his own players in the final minutes. Cronin later summed it up bluntly: “They took us to the woodshed. ”
Friday’s Bruins looked nothing like that version. UCLA delivered one of its best efforts of the season and did it with sharp execution on offense: 56% shooting from the floor and 13 three-pointers, a season high. The hot start was immediate, with UCLA hitting 10 of its first 15 shots as both teams traded baskets early.
UCLA’s perimeter defense helped shift the rhythm of the first half. Turnovers forced by the Bruins fueled their transition and shot-making, while Michigan State cooled after its early run, making just four of its next 15 shots the rest of the half. Perry contributed to the barrage, burying consecutive three-pointers as the Bruins’ confidence grew.
Can UCLA carry this momentum into the Big Ten tournament semifinals?
The win sends UCLA into the Big Ten tournament semifinals, where the Bruins will face No. 7 seed Purdue on Saturday. The run has been closely tied to Donovan Dent’s late-season form. One night after becoming the first player in Big Ten tournament history to record a triple-double in UCLA’s 72-59 win over Rutgers, Dent followed with 23 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds against Michigan State.
The Bruins also navigated a major in-game complication. Tyler Bilodeau, identified as UCLA’s top shooter and leading scorer, left late in the first half with a knee injury after falling under the basket clutching his right knee. UCLA still maintained its pace and shot-making for most of the night.
Recent form suggests a team trending upward. Since the February loss to Michigan State, Dent has been averaging 16 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds per game, and UCLA has won five of six. The contrast from the night before also stands out: Thursday’s performance included 38% shooting from the floor, before Friday’s sharp turnaround against Michigan State.
For UCLA, the immediate question is whether the combination of Dent’s control, the team’s shooting, and late-game composure—punctuated by trent perry at the line—can extend one more day in the tournament.
