Illinois Vs Ucla: How a 23-Point Comeback Reshaped Momentum for Both Teams

The illinois vs ucla game landed as a seismic swing for two teams headed in different directions: UCLA completed a record comeback that could reboot its confidence while Illinois absorbed a razor-thin overtime loss that tightened an already close conference ledger. Donovan Dent's buzzer-beating layup in overtime made it 95-94, but the fallout reaches beyond the final shot — affecting rotation decisions, team morale and the run-up to postseason play.

Illinois Vs Ucla — immediate effects on rosters, records and confidence

Here’s the part that matters: UCLA's comeback from 23 down was the largest in school history on record and it flipped the narrative at Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins snapped a two-game losing skid and notched their third win in five games, while the Illini — who entered having won 14 of 16 — suffered an overtime defeat that continued a troubling string: each of Illinois' last three losses to conference foes has come in overtime, and the program's four Big Ten losses this season total a combined nine points. The illinois vs ucla result will be felt first by players fighting for minutes and coaches weighing defensive buy-in versus offensive rhythm.

How the comeback unfolded and the decisive sequence

Illinois built a 23-point lead in the first half, at one point leading 33-10, and shot efficiently early (54% overall, 53% from three in that stretch). UCLA chipped away: late in the first half the Bruins closed on an 8-2 run to trail 50-43 at intermission, then mounted a series of rallies in the second half that produced nine additional ties and 13 lead changes overall.

In overtime, momentum swung rapidly. With 16 seconds left UCLA led 93-92 after Trent Perry hit two free throws. Illinois' Ben Humrichous had a chance from deep that rimmed out; Keaton Wagler grabbed the offensive rebound and put back to put Illinois ahead 94-93 with 4. 9 seconds remaining. UCLA inbounded to Donovan Dent, who raced the length of the court and finished with an up-and-under layup as the buzzer sounded to seal a 95-94 victory.

Individual lines and notable milestones

• Donovan Dent: 14 points, 15 assists, no turnovers in 42 minutes; senior from Riverside, Calif.; final layup came after a 4. 9-second coast-to-coast sequence.
• Eric Dailey Jr.: team-leading 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
• Tyler Bilodeau: 18 points; entered the game as the conference's top 3-point shooter by percentage and hit 2 of 5 attempts.
• Trent Perry: 17 points; Xavier Booker: 16 points (2-of-3 from deep).
• Keaton Wagler (Illinois): 19 points, 8-of-8 free throws, game-high eight rebounds (six offensive) and six assists; he surpassed Illinois' freshman season points mark by moving past 494 points with a second-half layup after entering the game with 490.
• Tomislav Ivisic: 16 points, six rebounds for Illinois; Ben Humrichous: 15 points on a career-best five 3-pointers (4 of those threes came during a 20-0 run that turned a 13-10 deficit into a 33-10 advantage).

Dent's 15 assists were one shy of the UCLA single-game mark of 16, set in 2000. Attendance was listed at 10, 036 at Pauley Pavilion for the game.

Game patterns, historical notes and a short timeline

It was UCLA's largest comeback since rallying from 19 down to beat Oregon 90-83 on Feb. 23, 2019, and it ranks as the largest comeback to defeat a top-10 opponent in poll history. The Bruins had been struggling earlier in the week, suffering blowout road losses and an ejection incident in East Lansing that the coach later said was made in error; the reserve involved, Steven Jamerson II, played about 1½ minutes in this game after the coach apologized following a replay review.

• Feb. 21, 2026 — Illinois led by as many as 23 and forced overtime after late second-half free throws.
• Overtime — Wagler's putback gave Illinois a 94-93 lead with 4. 9 seconds left; Dent's coast-to-coast layup at the buzzer made it 95-94.
• Recent precedent — UCLA's last large comeback like this was Feb. 23, 2019 (19 points).

It’s easy to overlook, but Dent's combination of game control and zero turnovers in heavy minutes changes how lineups may be managed down the stretch.

Schedule consequences and what this does for the stretch run

Both teams head straight into pivotal remaining schedules. UCLA has four regular-season games left, including a home date with No. 9 Nebraska and two meetings with crosstown rival USC, before the conference tournament in Chicago. Illinois returns home to a sold-out State Farm Center on Friday to host the conference leader, a team listed at 25-2 overall and 15-1 in conference; tipoff there is set for 7 p. m. CT. The result tightens seeding stakes and puts extra emphasis on close-game execution for both teams as they enter the final weeks.

What the bigger signal here is: a single defensive stand in overtime and Dent's control of the ball turned a likely Illinois victory into a landmark UCLA comeback — and those small margins will be decisive for the rotation spots and game plans that follow.