Bruins’ rivalry with USC has added layers
The UCLA men’s basketball team still has a chance to win the Pac-12 regular-season title, but will need some help.
If the Bruins beat USC this afternoon, they will immediately become Oregon State fans. The Beavers have to beat Oregon on Sunday evening in Corvallis to make UCLA conference champion, which would give the Bruins the No. 1 seed heading into next week’s Pac-12 tournament in Las Vegas.
UCLA (17-7, 13-5) will host the No. 24-ranked Trojans (20-6, 14-5) at 1 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion on CBS.
The Bruins are chasing their first regular-season conference title since 2013.
“I was looking up at the banners after practice,” UCLA forward Cody Riley said at the beginning of the week. “For us to be the group that adds a conference title to the banner is extremely important to us. We’re excited to be in a position to do that.”
It’s the same scenario for USC, which needs a win today and a loss by Oregon (18-5, 13-4) on Sunday. That would make the Trojans regular-season conference champs for the first time since 1985.
Riley was out with an ankle injury last time UCLA and USC squared off. The Trojans ran away with it 66-48 at the Galen Center. The Bruins were also without Jalen Hill, who’s still not with the team due to undisclosed personal reasons.
With Riley back in the lineup and freshman center Mac Etienne having games under his belt, UCLA’s front line won’t be as wideeyed in round two against USC big men Evan and Isaiah Mobley.
“I wasn’t going to be able to move up and down the court,” Riley said of the Feb. 6 loss. “As much as I wanted to play, and do what I can for the team, I just wasn’t able to do anything on the court.”
UCLA’s original schedule had a full week of practice slated before today’s crosstown rivalry and regular-season finale, but the Pac-12 slid in a Wednesday night game at Oregon, which the Bruins lost 82-74.
UCLA coach Mick Cronin wasn’t thrilled about the travel, but actually preferred the rhythm of playing two games in a week over the week layoff before a game.
“I like it,” Cronin said. “Keeps the guys in some sort of game rhythm. And it’s fair because (USC) also plays Wednesday.”
Cronin added with a grin: “... hopefully at some point Oregon will play at UCLA in my career.”
The Ducks hosted UCLA last year in Cronin’s debut season.
Notable numbers
Heading into today’s game, Johnny Juzang leads the Bruins in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game, followed by Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s 11.8 and Tyger Campbell’s 10.6. Riley (10.3) and Jules Bernard (10.0) also average double digits . ... The Bruins are 17-4 all-time under Cronin when the game is decided by five points or less, including a 10-1 record this season . ... The number 70 is the magic number for UCLA’s defense. The Bruins are 12-2 when limiting the opposition to 70 points or fewer. Last season, the Bruins went 18-1 in those situations. The one loss came to USC in last year’s 54-52 regular-season finale at the Galen Center . ... Fans or no fans at Pauley Pavilion, the Bruins have won 18 in a row at home, a streak that began Jan. 19, 2020, with a 5040 win over California. It’s the program’s best stretch at home since the 25-game winning streak that spanned from February 2006 to November 2007.