University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
17-4,8-2Pac-12
USC
15-6,7-3Pac-12
UCLA Men's Basketball Loses at USC, 77-64
January 26, 2023 | Men's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – The No. 8-ranked UCLA men's basketball team suffered a 77-64 loss to USC on Thursday night at the Galen Center.
Senior guard Boogie Ellis had a game-high 31 points to lead the Trojans (15-6, 7-3 Pac-12) past the Bruins (17-4, 8-2). Ellis fueled a second-half comeback for the hosts, scoring 27 points in the second stanza alone as USC outscored UCLA 52-27 to erase a 12-point halftime deficit.
Four players finished in double figures for the Bruins. Senior guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. led UCLA in scoring (15 points) and rebounding (eight). Redshirt senior guard Tyger Campbell (seven assists) and fifth-year guard David Singleton each notched 14 points, and freshman forward Amari Bailey added 11 points over 23 minutes in his first game-action since Dec. 21.
POSTGAME VIDEO: Coach Cronin | J. Jaquez Jr., D. Singleton
UCLA overcame a slow start to build up a double-digit lead by the halftime break.
Trailing 14-9 at the 12:28 mark of the first half, UCLA scored 11 unanswered points to go ahead, 20-14, with 6:32 remaining. A dunk from freshman forward Adem Bona sparked that rally, which was capped off by consecutive 3-point makes from Jaquez Jr. and Singleton.
Just a few minutes later, the Bruins pulled off another lengthy run, scoring 10 in a row to make it a 30-19 game at the 2:20 mark. Singleton and Campbell each drained key 3-point baskets during that spree, while Bailey scored four points on a left-handed lay-up in transition and a pair of free-throw makes.
UCLA ultimately went into the locker room with a 37-25 lead after Campbell connected on a close-range jumper with just six seconds left in the half.
USC responded in the second half, going on a 19-6 run out of the break to pull ahead at 44-43 with 12:14 left in the game. The Trojans would not surrender the lead the rest of the night.
While UCLA would remain in striking distance for most of the remainder of the game, Ellis hit a 3-ball at the 1:25 mark to push USC's lead to nine. The Trojans hit a flurry of free throws in the final 90 seconds of the game to bring the margin as high as 15.
UCLA returns to Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom for a pair of home games next week, hosting Washington at 6:00 p.m. PT on Thursday, Feb. 2 (TV: FS1) and Washington State at 4:00 p.m. PT on Saturday, Feb. 4 (TV: Pac-12 Networks).
