Booker Notes Key to UCLA Upset Win Over Purdue

UCLA earned perhaps its best win of the season by far earlier this week, knocking off #4 Purdue in an upset victory at home.

In a season of ups-and-downs for the Bruins, the win served as a major statement to the rest of the Big Ten of what UCLA can be capable of when at their best. The Bruins are now 5-3 in conference play after their win over Purdue.

Now with some positive momentum, the Bruins can get back on track. They started the season ranked #15 in the AP Poll, and have since fallen out of the top 25.

Booker’s thoughts

Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Xavier Booker (1) is defended by Purdue Boilermakers guard Gicarri Harris (24) and center Daniel Jacobsen (12) as he drives to the basket in the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Forward Xavier Booker, who had 9 points and 4 rebounds in the Bruins’ upset win over the Boilermakers, talked about the team’s mindset, and preparation heading into that matchup, and how it allowed them to pull off the stunning victory.

“We knew we had to win it,” Booker said. “We set it in our minds. We had to win that game. We had a big day the day before, going into, preparing for it.”

Their preparation clearly paid off, as the Bruins delivered their best performance of the season to get back on the country’s radar going forward.

“I knew from the day before that we were going to win that game,” Booker added. “The way guys were competing in practice the day before, it was a lot of energy in practice. Just waking up with a positive mindset just knowing that you’re going to win the game, I feel like that’s kind of what set it off.”

Jan 20, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) and and guard Donovan Dent (2) celebrate after defeating the Purdue Boilermakers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The game saw numerous notable players for UCLA step up to deliver the win. Donovan Dent, a five-star transfer from New Mexico who has struggled for most of this season, broke out of his slump in a big way with a 23-point, 13-assist double-double. Additionally, leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau added 14 points, and knocked down 4 threes, including the eventual game-winning one in the final seconds.

They’ll look to carry this momentum into the rest of Big Ten play with their season now revived. UCLA has all the talent capable of going on a deep run in this year’s NCAA Tournament, it’s just a matter of how often they can string together performances such as their one against Purdue. As evidenced by that win, the Bruins can compete with anyone in the country, and shouldn’t be counted out just yet as a team to watch in March.

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