Purdue basketball vs. UCLA: Two programs linked by college basketball icon John Wooden

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WEST LAFAYETTE − Perhaps no two teams are more tied together by one person than Purdue basketball and UCLA.

A statue of John Wooden as a player resides outside of Mackey Arena, while a statue of Wooden as a coach stands outside of UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.

But the two storied basketball programs have rarely crossed paths, a series that will become annual with UCLA’s inclusion in the Big Ten.

The first of those Big Ten battles between the Boilermakers and Bruins is Friday night at Mackey Arena.

UCLA’s most recent trip to Mackey Arena actually didn’t involve Purdue. It was the 2021 NCAA tournament, a year where COVID restrictions led to the entire tournament being played in Indiana, in a First Four game against Michigan State.

More: Purdue’s 4-game losing streak demanded change, so Trey Kaufman-Renn took initiative

Purdue basketball and John Wooden

When John Wooden played for Purdue, Mackey Arena didn’t exist. Wooden, instead, played his games (1929-32) at Lambert Fieldhouse, next door to where Mackey Arena sits.

With the Boilermakers, Wooden was a three-time All-American guard. In 1932, Wooden was awarded National Player of the Year, the first of four times a Purdue player would be honored (Glenn Robinson, 1994; Zach Edey 2023 and ’24).

Purdue head coach Matt Painter (left) shares a laugh with legendary coach John Wooden at the annual Wooden Tradition basketball event press conference Friday at Conseco Fieldhouse. (STEVE HEALEY/Indianapolis Star)

Purdue’s 1931-32 team during Wooden’s senior year was recognized as the national champions by the Helms Foundation before the NCAA tournament awarded a champion.

When Mackey Arena had its dedication game in 1967, though, Wooden was there, coaching from the visiting bench.

Purdue basketball history vs. UCLA

When the Bruins, led by Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), played Purdue in the first game at Mackey Arena, it was not the first time the two schools met in men’s basketball.

UCLA and Purdue have played 13 times, with UCLA winning…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/purdue-basketball-vs-ucla-two-090444290.html

Author : Journal & Courier

Publish date : 2025-02-28 09:04:00

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