UCLA Bruins guard Donovan Dent exited the Big Ten Tournament semifinal against Purdue in the closing minutes of the first half. He reportedly reached for his lower right leg, indicating that he had suffered a calf strain or lower-leg tweak. Head coach Mick Cronin later confirmed Dent was dealing with a calf issue and ruled him out mid-game as a precaution.
Dent didn’t return in that game, and his availability is up in the air as the Bruins prepare for their game against UCF.
Is UCLA Guard Donovan Dent Playing vs UCF in 2026 March Madness?
All signs point to Donovan Dent playing in the NCAA Tournament clash against the UCF Knights. His injury is not severe and Cronin made it clear that Dent could have played the rest of the game against Purdue if needed.
“Both guys could have played [against Purdue],” Cronin said, referring to Dent and Tyler Bilodeau.
According to California Post Sports’ Ben Bolch, Dent said he’s feeling “100%.” This update on Monday provided an immense boost to the Bruins as the point guard is a scoring option, primary playmaker and helps in ball movement.
However, the Bruins might impose minutes restrictions on him and play him according to the situation.
Dent’s impact can’t be overstated. In the Big Ten Tournament opener against Rutgers, he recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. It was the first triple-double in the history of the Big Ten Tournament.
This season, Dent is averaging 13.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He is shooting 42% from the field, including 26.2% from the 3-point line. His career-best game for UCLA was a 30-point effort against USC.
UCLA would welcome Dent’s elite passing, high basketball IQ and his ability to control pace in clutch/playmaking situations.
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