The UCLA Bruins, led by head coach Mick Cronin, pulled off an impressive upset over the Michigan State Spartans in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament on Friday night.
Donovan Dent paired 23 points with 12 assists, and Trent Perry scored 22 points in the 88-84 victory. Unfortunately, it proved to be a costly win, with star Tyler Bilodeau having to be helped off the floor late in the first half and spending the entire second half on the sideline with his right knee wrapped.
Cronin said that it would take “literally a miracle for him to play” for Bilodeau to play on Saturday in the semifinals against the Purdue Boilermakers, according to ESPN.
“My concern is for him and his career and how it affects his teammates because I don’t base my career off wins and losses,” Cronin said. “Legacy is the most overrated thing in life.”
For his part, Bilodeau kept it short. “I’m good,” he said.
Bilodeau leads the Bruins in points and rebounds on the year and had five points in 10 minutes before his knee buckled as he was trying to defend Carson Cooper in the post.
“My initial reaction, I just really prayed that he was OK, and I’m glad that he’s OK,” Perry said of his teammate. “Again, like I said, it’s a team effort. We had guys step up.”
Cronin is hoping his star is dealing with “some sort of sprain” rather than something more severe, but further imaging will be required to fully diagnose where the knee stands.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.