Donovan Dent scores 30 points as UCLA men rout USC

One team was coming off its highest high, the other off its lowest low, but recent history matters little whenever UCLA and USC meet.

Tuesday night’s matchup inside Pauley Pavilion was no exception, as the men’s basketball programs faced off in the first of two key Big Ten clashes in 11 days and the host Bruins sent their blue-clad fans home happy with an 81-62 victory.

Donovan Dent led the charge with 30 points and seven assists, Trent Perry had 13 points and four assists, Xavier Booker had 11 points and three blocks and forward Tyler Bilodeau added 13 points and nine rebounds as the Bruins (19-9 overall, 11-6 in the Big Ten) improved to 15-1 on Wooden Court and stayed in seventh place in conference play with three games remaining in the regular season.

“It took us awhile to pull away from a very athletic team but I’m proud of the guys, we got the job done and stayed healthy,” said UCLA head coach Mick Cronin, who evened his record to 7-7 versus USC since he took over in Westwood in 2019. “When you hold a team to 62 it’s hard to lose.”

In the latter stages of the second half, UCLA made 10 of 12 shots and led by nine with 5:43 left. A three-pointer by Eric Freeny extended the margin to 14 with 2:01 remaining. UCLA scored 32 points in the paint and scored 15 points off turnovers.

Three days earlier, UCLA pulled off its biggest win of the year, rallying from 23 points down to stun 10th-ranked Illinois in overtime and rode that momentum to overwhelm its crosstown rival, still smarting from a 71-70 defeat to lowly Oregon on Saturday at Galen Center.

Both teams wore their dark jerseys for the 266th meeting between the teams and UCLA improved to 150-116 in a series dating to 1928 when UCLA joined the Pacific Coast Conference.

“You’re only as good as your next win,” Cronin added. “I know we got out-rebounded (41-31) but you can’t be great at everything. When we share the ball we’re a high-level offensive team. Look, nobody’s going anywhere in March without their best players. Your best players have to play well. Eric [Dailey Jr.] couldn’t get going tonight but we didn’t need him because Donovan was hot.”

Chad Baker-Mazara was hot early for the Trojans, hitting four three-pointers and totaling 14 by the break, but no other USC player had more than four in the first 20 minutes. The Bruins did not lead until Bilodeau banked in a 15-foot jumper to edge them in front 8-7 4:39 into the game.

UCLA went on a 12-2 run in just under five minutes to build a 29-23 lead while USC was in the midst of a one-for-eight drought from the field, but the Trojans pulled to within two on Ezra Ausar’s layup with 3:30 left in the half.

Booker’s dunk ignited a 7-0 run to put the Bruins up 36-27 and Dent swished a 15-footer that beat the buzzer and gave UCLA a 38-29 halftime lead.

“Donovan was just doing his job, I’m very proud for him today,” Perry said of his teammate. “It was his night, I was trying to find him and let him go to work.”

Dent had 19 points at intermission and outscored USC by himself in the last nine minutes of the half, 7-6. He finished five of six from three-point range.

“You can deal with adversity one of two ways,” Perry added. You can either fold or push through it and come out stronger so these last five [games] are crucial. We got two down and three to go.”

USC forward Chad Baker-Mazara, guard Alijah Arenas, UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau and USC forward Terrance Williams II vie for the ball in the first half.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

UCLA stretched its lead to 11 points five minutes into the second half as the Trojans went cold, shooting one for 11 and going 3:49 without scoring a basket. It was a frustrating night for USC star guard Alijah Arenas, who had four points and five turnovers when he was whistled for a charging foul — his third — running over Perry with 16:45 left.

He finished with 10 points but Baker-Mazara was the leading scorer with 25 points for the Trojans (18-10, 7-10), who dropped their fourth straight.

“The reason I shot so many threes is that they were giving it to me,” Dent said. “It’s great when students are in here an hour before the game, it’s a fun atmosphere and a lot of fun to be part of. When you have that type of energy and hit shots early it gets the crowd into it.”

USC coach Eric Musselman, who dropped to 0-3 against UCLA in his two seasons with the Trojans, had high praise for the Bruins’ leading scorer.

“Dent was phenomenal,” he said. “No turnovers, 30 points. We didn’t get much out of our frontline at all. You look at the shooting percentages —– three of nine, one of seven, one of three — and then the 14 turnovers. I mean the defensive breakdowns with Bilodeau, he’s just going one on one. Because they have five shooters, it’s hard to help. And pick-and-roll coverage with Dent, he did whatever he wanted.”