| Men’s Basketball |
|---|
| UCLA — 89 |
| USC — 68 |
Fight on?
Not this time.
“Tonight, UCLA was obviously the better team,” admitted USC head coach Eric Musselman.
On Saturday evening, the UCLA Bruins (21-10, 13-7 Big Ten) stormed into the Galen Center and rolled past the USC Trojans (18-13, 7-13 Big Ten) 89-68.
Senior guard Donovan Dent led the way with 25 points, on 11-for-15 shooting, to go along with seven assists.
Notably, less than two weeks ago, Dent dropped 30 at Pauley Pavilion to power the Bruins to their first win of the two-game series against the Trojans.
UCLA has now swept USC for the second year straight.
“It’s very fun,” said Dent. “Rivalries are always the best games. So to come out and play good in both is a good feeling.”
The opening ten minutes featured a flurry of ties, lead changes, fouls, boos, cheers and everything in between as the rivalry atmosphere filled the arena.
USC struck first, jumping out to a 5-0 lead off a size-up triple from Alijah Arenas, son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas. Nonetheless, senior forward Tyler Bilodeau scored seven points in the first five minutes to keep the game tight.
The two teams went back and forth until eight minutes and thirty eight seconds remained in the half, when Bilodeau posted up against Ezra Ausar, faded away and drilled a midrange jumper that gave the Bruins a lead they would hold until the final buzzer.
Bilodeau’s bucket sparked a 13-1 UCLA run, highlighted by redshirt freshman guard Eric Freeny, who converted on back-to-back contested transition layups.
Freeny, who averages a mere 10 minutes per game, finished with a career-high 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting.
“[Freeny] is our hustle guy, he does all the little dirty stuff for us,” said Dent. “But I mean, the kid can score… He’s a great weapon to have off the bench and he’s playing really well right now.”
The Bruins continued to dominate offensively as Dent finished three driving layups in the final five minutes of the half, handing the Bruins a 45-30 lead at the break.
Bilodeau ended the first half with 16 points on 70% shooting, yet he did not attempt another shot for the remainder of the game.
“Tyler can shoot,” said head coach Mick Cronin. “Tyler’s gonna get a chance to play in the NBA. He’s one of the best shooters in the country.”
The second half belonged to Dent and junior forward Eric Dailey Jr, who combined for 37 of UCLA’s 44 points.
With ten minutes and thirty four seconds left, Dent attacked the rim, rose up, defied all theories of gravity and finished an and-one layup to give the Bruins a 25-point lead, their largest of the night.
Five minutes later, senior guard Skyy Clark swung the rock to Dailey Jr., who sidestepped off a screen and sank a 3-pointer, cementing the victory for the Bruins.
“I had a feeling we were gonna win this game,” said Freeny. “As a group, we knew.”
Worth noting, on March 1, USC announced that its leading scorer, 26-year-old Chad Baker-Mazara, is no longer a member of the team. Baker-Mazara poured in 25 points against the Bruins in the teams’ previous meeting, leaving a noticeable gap in USC’s offense on Saturday night.
UCLA has struggled on the road all season, entering tonight’s matchup with a 4-6 away record, compared to a 17-1 mark at home.
Nonetheless, the Bruins rose to the occasion at the Galen Center, aided in part by a standout pocket of blue and gold that made the short trip across town.
“We’ve struggled a bit on the road, so to get this win on the road was big for us. It gives us a lot of confidence,” said Bilodeau.
The Bruins have now wrapped up their regular season, finishing seventh in the Big Ten. They will now travel to the United Center in Chicago to compete in the Big Ten Tournament, beginning on Wednesday, March 11.
“Lot of good teams going to Chicago,” added Cronin. “It’s the best league by far in college basketball. It’ll be a nice precursor to the next tournament.”
Following the Big Ten Tournament, UCLA will await Selection Sunday on March 15, when March Madness brackets will be revealed at 3 p.m. PST.
As the postseason looms, Bilodeau put it simply: “We’re excited. This is what college basketball is all about.”
