Donovan Dent's Career Night Powers UCLA to Historic Rivalry Sweep of USC
Donovan Dent's Career Night Powers UCLA to Historic Rivalry Sweep of USC
The UCLA Bruins completed a dominant regular-season sweep of crosstown rival USC on Saturday night, delivering an 89-68 clinical victory at the Galen Center. Leading the charge was Donovan Dent, who erupted for 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting while adding seven assists without a single turnover. The 89 points marked a program record for the Bruins at USC’s home arena, as UCLA (21-10, 13-7 Big Ten) secured the No. 6 seed for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament.
UCLA’s offensive efficiency was the story of the night, as the Bruins shot 57.6% from the field and 52.9% from three-point range. The Bruins broke open a tied game midway through the first half with a 24-9 surge, led by 16 first-half points from Tyler Bilodeau. Dent then took over in the second half, scoring 19 of his 25 points and orchestrating a 17-4 run that ballooned the lead to 25 points, effectively silencing the Trojans' Senior Night crowd.
Trojans Struggle with Injuries and Departures
For USC (18-13, 7-13 Big Ten), the loss was their seventh consecutive defeat to close out a disappointing regular season. The Trojans were hampered by the absence of their top two scorers, with Rodney Rice sidelined by a shoulder injury and Chad Baker-Mazara recently parting ways with the program. Freshman Alijah Arenas led the Trojans with 20 points, but he lacked the necessary support to keep pace with UCLA’s high-octane offense.
Coach Eric Musselman remains winless against UCLA during his two-year tenure with the Trojans, moving to 0-4 against the Bruins. Despite a double-double from Ezra Ausar (12 points, 11 rebounds) and 10 points from Jacob Cofie, the Trojans' defense had no answer for Dent’s penetration and the Bruins' ball movement. USC managed only four free-throw attempts for the entire game, a statistic that highlighted their struggle to attack the paint effectively.
UCLA Peaking for the Postseason
UCLA has now won four of its last five games, carrying significant momentum into the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago. The Bruins' resume is bolstered by recent home wins over ranked Purdue and Illinois, and their 21-point victory at USC is their largest road win in the rivalry since 1974. Eric Dailey Jr. also had a massive impact on Saturday, finishing with 19 points and eight rebounds, with 18 of those points coming in a blistering second-half performance.
Head coach Mick Cronin praised his team's focus on the road, noting that the Bruins have struggled away from Pauley Pavilion this season but found their rhythm at the perfect time. With Dent averaging nearly 11 assists per game over his last five outings and the frontcourt of Bilodeau and Dailey clicking, the Bruins are positioned as a dangerous dark horse in the conference tournament. They will wait for the finalization of the Big Ten bracket on Sunday evening to learn their first-round opponent.
