Bruins Must Hold Off Purdue From Beyond the Arc

The UCLA Bruins will need to stop the Big Ten's best 3-point-shooting team.

Feb 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins Dylan Andrews (2), Kobe Johnson (0) and Skyy Clark (55) triple team Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Mike Mitchell Jr. (2) during the first half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins' next contest against the Purdue Boilermakers has a ton riding on it. Not only are the two programs tied in the Big Ten standings with one another, but whichever team wins has a better chance of making a miracle push to the top of the conference.

That being said, it will not be easy for UCLA as it looks to knock off Purdue and hand it it's fifth-straight loss. The Bruins have played well to this point, especially on defense, and that trend will need to be present again in one crucial area to knock off the Boilermakers.

Going into the game, the Boilermakers sit at the top of the Big Ten conference in 3-point shooting this season. The program leads the conference with 37.9% from deep this season and also comes close to making most of its shots overall, shooting 49.2% from the field.

Purdue is averaging eight 3-pointers made per game, but it does not lead the Big Ten in attempts. Meaning, when the Boilermakers see an opening for a long shot, they are going to take it. If the lane is blocked, it will be more probable that the ball gets thrown inside the paint.

For UCLA, knowing this information might save the game. The two teams have played very similarly this season, from a standings standpoint and average points scored. The Bruins rank 14th in the Big Ten in average points per game, whereas Purdue ranks just inside the top 10 at ninth.

The defense will need to be the Bruins' saving grace again this game, as it has been for them all season long. If UCLA's leading defenders come to play knowing what damage the Boilermakers can drop on offense, UCLA may be able to push their opponent's losing streak another game.

The big threat the Bruins' defense must keep an eye on is junior guard Fletcher Loyer. This season, in 28 games, he leads Purdue with 46.7% makes from beyond the arc. UCLA will also need to join the 3-point shooting party if it wants to knock off Purdue; the program holds a 35.5% make percentage from long.

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