UCLA basketball secures victory against Rutgers with Donovan Dent’s triple-double

CHICAGO — Donovan Dent Makes History with Triple-Double

Donovan Dent was in prime form after achieving a historic rebound with just under three minutes remaining in the game. The UCLA point guard quickly set up Tyler Bilodeau for a 3-pointer and continued to showcase his game-changing skills.

On Thursday night, Dent etched his name in the record books, becoming the first player in Big Ten Tournament history to record a triple-double, and the first UCLA player to do so since Kyle Anderson in 2013.

He was instrumental in the sixth-seeded Bruins’ 72-59 win over 14th-seeded Rutgers in the tournament’s third round at the United Center.

Dent finished the game with 12 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, and two turnovers, admitting he was unaware he was close to a triple-double until a teammate informed him during a second-half timeout.

UCLA coach Mick Cronin joked, “We’ll just keep telling him he needs two more for a triple-double to keep him rebounding.”

One remarkable play didn’t even show up in the box score. Following a block by teammate Xavier Booker, Dent made a remarkable save, flinging the ball back into play just before it went out of bounds.

“I’m not really sure how that happened,” Dent said. “We were just hustling and focused on getting those loose balls.”

The Bruins (22-10) were able to secure the win partly because they outrebounded the Scarlet Knights by ten, even while shooting only 38.3 percent from the field.

Bilodeau contributed 21 points, and despite the shooting struggles, the Bruins managed to turn the game in their favor through hustle and determination. Cronin noted, “They scored 59 points…you have to win when shots aren’t falling. That’s a lesson I learned from one of my coaching mentors, Bob Huggins.”

The game began sluggishly, with both teams looking out of sync. Skye Clark, for UCLA, notably missed the rim entirely on a jumper, and Rutgers’ Tarik Francis was held to just two points until late in the game, after having a stellar performance previously.

In contrast, Dent was engaged and focused throughout the match.

What It Means

The victory over Rutgers doesn’t drastically alter UCLA’s trajectory for an NCAA Tournament seed, but it strengthens their chances for a successful conference tournament run. Most projections currently place them around a No. 8 or No. 9 seed, suggesting that a few more wins could improve their position significantly. This could help them avoid facing the top seed in the second round, which is pretty crucial.

Moreover, this win marked UCLA’s second victory outside the West Coast this season, giving added significance to their earlier win at Penn State.

Turning Point

As Rutgers remained a close threat early in the second half, Trent Perry stepped up for the Bruins. He contributed effectively on both ends, throwing a lob to Eric Daley Jr. for a quick layup and drawing an offensive foul against Rutgers’ Dylan Grant.

Perry was pivotal, diving for offensive rebounds and hitting a crucial 3-pointer, helping the Bruins swiftly build a 14-2 lead and gain control of the game.