No. 13 UCLA Beats No. 21 USC 69-59 in Pac-12 Semifinals
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 19 points, Jules Bernard added 15 and No. 13 UCLA beat No. 21 Southern California 69-59 Friday night in the Pac-12 semifinals.
The second-seeded Bruins (25-6) shut down the Trojans defensively for an eight-point halftime lead and kept them at bay with a sterling offensive second half.
Tyger Campbell added 14 points to help send UCLA into Saturday's title game against No. 2 Arizona.
The Trojans cut down on the turnovers (23) that plagued them in the quarterfinals against Washington, but spent most of the first half in an offensive funk. USC started hitting more shots in the second half, but couldn't make up ground because the Bruins shot even better.
Boogie Ellis tried to keep the third-seeded Trojans (26-7) in it, hitting five 3-pointers and scoring 27 points.
USC won the teams' first meeting 67-64 despite playing without Mobley due to a concussion. UCLA won the second game 75-68 last Saturday, ending a five-game losing streak to its rival and earning the No. 2 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament.
The Bruins took control of the third go-round with a dominating defensive first half.
Hounding the Trojans inside and getting out to their perimeter shooters, UCLA held USC to 9-of-29 shooting in the first half. The Trojans had a stretch of one field goal in six minutes, but Drew Peterson hit a turnaround jumper at the buzzed to pull them within 36-28 at halftime.
Jaquez had 11 first-half points after scoring 17 of his 23 points in the second half against Washington State in the quarterfinals.
USC opened the first half by making five of its first six shots — and still couldn't make up ground.
Jaquez continued to give the Trojans problems with his footwork and crafty moves in the post, scoring and setting up teammates when double teams arrived.
USC managed to trim the lead 42-38 after that, but UCLA stretched it back out and made 12 of 22 in the second half.
BIG PICTURE
USC found an offensive rhythm in the second half after struggling in the first, but gave up too many good looks that the Bruins knocked down.
UCLA showed off its defensive prowess in the first half and its offensive firepower in the second to earn its first trip to the Pac-12 title game since winning it in 2014.
UP NEXT
USC: Will play in the NCAA Tournament, but will likely have a lower seed after closing the season with three losses in four games.
UCLA: Moves on to face No. 2 Arizona in the title game Saturday night.
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