3 Purdue Threats UCLA Must Contain

A UCLA win here would be nice, no doubt, but what stands in the way could make this task next to impossible.

The Bruins are coming off a devastating loss to Ohio State, which ultimately boiled down to individual Buckeye performances, as three of their starters scored 20 points. It has become clear that UCLA struggles against the best this season, which cannot happen against No. 4 Purdue.

Braden Smith | G

Braden Smith has been absolutely electric this season and could prove to be the decider in this one. This season, he is averaging a team-high 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and an all-universe 9.4 assists, which ranks him No. 1 in the nation. He is also shooting 49% from the field and 42.9% from three.

Donovan Dent will need to figure out how to make things hard for Smith. What this looks like is constant pressure that forces Smith into bad passes. If Dent can make a dent in Smith's facilitating the Boilermakers' offense could fall flat.

Oscar Cluff | C

Oscar Kluff has been on an absolute tear recently. In his last three games he is averaging 17.3 points per game, on a breath-taking 92.7% shooting. While not the best rebounder, it is clear that the Smith-Cluff connection will be the main point of contention in this matchup.

UCLA simply does not have anyone who can threaten Kluff's scoring efficiency. The only player who matches his physicals is Xavier Booker, who has garnered plenty of criticism surrounding his defense. Brandon Williams, Steven Jamerson, or Tyler Bilodeau are the only ones who could pose a slight threat.

Trey Kaufman-Renn | F

Jan 10, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) stands on the court before the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Trey Kaufman-Renn is in the midst of a slump. While that may look like good news for UCLA on the surface, the Bruins also have all the pieces in place to help Kaufman-Renn turn things around quickly. This season Kaufman-Renn is averaging 12.7 points, a team-high 9.1 rebound, while shooting 54.6%.

Eric Dailey Jr will have his hands full. However, with how Dailey Jr has been playing as well in taking into account Kaufman-Renn's slump, there might be a sliver of hope for the Bruins here. If Dailey Jr is able to out-rebound Kaufman-Renn, which is possible, UCLA could be sitting pretty.

UCLA Bruins celebrate in the first half at Value City Arena on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What makes Purdue so deadly is that it has players who excel at one elite skill all over the floor. If the Bruins can take away even one of those strengths, the rest should begin to fall into place. That said, executing that game plan is far easier said than done.

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