UCLA ends losing streak vs. USC, delivering Mick Cronin his first win over rival

The streak is over.

It suffered a noisy demise Saturday night at Pauley Pavilion, UCLA fans roaring in celebration of a breakthrough victory over USC. Jaime Jaquez Jr., the primary Bruins protagonist, turned and pointed both fingers at the student section and Jaylen Clark sprinted over to celebrate with his classmates.

Jaquez nudged his team toward the long-awaited 75-68 triumph before a sellout crowd that had been energetic long before tipoff. Staying aggressive in the low post, he scored 27 points while making 10 of 16 shots to help bury a regrettable chunk of Bruins history.

The outcome ended more three years of rivalry angst — five consecutive Bruins losses, two Trojans buzzer-beaters and endless ribbing from across town. It also put to rest any talk about how UCLA coach Mick Cronin couldn’t beat USC counterpart Andy Enfield after starting 0-5 in head-to-head matchups.

None of that matters now.

It was shaping up like there might be another dramatic ending after No. 17 USC, down by 11 points with five minutes left, pulled to within 70-68 with 1:22 left after Isaiah Mobley made a layup and was fouled, making the free throw to complete the three-point play.

UCLA’s Cody Riley made a turnaround jumper in the lane, extending his team’s advantage to four points, and before USC’s Max Agbonkpolo stepped out of bounds with 30 seconds left, seeming to seal the Trojans’ fate.

But UCLA guard Johnny Juzang provided an opening by missing two free throws. USC guard Reese Dixon-Waters misfired on a three-pointer before Jules Bernard made enough free throws over the final seconds to give No. 16 UCLA its first victory in the series since 2019.

Playing with a disgruntled edge, the Bruins (23-6 overall, 15-5 Pac-12) secured second place in the conference standings behind champion Arizona to go with the No. 2 seed in the Pac-12 tournament that starts next week.

UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., center, celebrates with Johnny Juzang, left, and Jaylen Clark during the final second of the Bruins’ 75-68 win Saturday.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Some soothing of the ego had been necessary for UCLA this time of year after USC topped the Bruins in excruciating fashion in the final game of the last two regular seasons.

Two years ago, it was Jonah Mathews’ step-back three-pointer over Jalen Hill with one second left.

Last year, it was Tahj Eaddy’s improbable corner three-pointer over Jaylen Clark with 1.4 seconds left.

Now it’s the Trojans (25-6, 14-6) who will be heading into the Pac-12 tournament with some discomfort after losing to the Bruins for the first time since February 2019.

Jaquez carried his team midway through the second half. He made a jump hook, buried one jumper and then another before finding Bernard for a three-pointer that lifted the Bruins into a 62-54 lead with 10 minutes left.

USC guard Reese Dixon-Waters, center, shoots between UCLA guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., left, and center Myles Johnson during the first half.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

USC, fresh off a 20-point thumping by Arizona earlier in the week, showed some moxie by wiping out a seven-point deficit early in the second half. The Trojans did it in dramatic fashion after pulling within four. Juzang, making his return after a 2½-game absence because of a sprained right ankle, knocked over USC’s Boogie Ellis on a three-pointer, allowing Ellis to complete a four-point play that pulled the Trojans into a 47-47 tie.

But Jaquez responded in emphatic fashion, driving from beyond the free-throw line for a one-handed dunk to spark another UCLA run.

Fans arrived in the sold-out arena to find a T-shirt placed on almost every seat as part of the Bruins’ blue-out efforts. Students had snaked a serpentine line around campus long before tipoff in order to snag a coveted ticket.

Those students who got in announced their presence more than a half hour before tipoff when they showered boos over the Trojans when they jogged from their locker room onto the court for warmups. The tone shifted dramatically when the students roared for Bernard, Riley and David Singleton when the trio was honored during the Bruins’ senior night festivities.

The teams enjoyed a hot start, the Bruins and Trojans each making their first four shots while trading the lead. Jaquez attacked Mobley for four early points after getting a layup and drawing a foul that led to two free throws.

Some had questioned whether Jaquez could keep his recent scoring surge, that included a career-high 30 points earlier this week against Washington, going against a team like the Trojans that featured superior length and athleticism. Jaquez answered with 13 points by halftime while making four of five shots.

The Trojans faced 94 feet of pressure, UCLA trapping in the backcourt and twice forcing a shot-clock violation in the first seven minutes. Bruins center Myles Johnson had fans roaring again when he stole a pass that led to a Jaquez layup and the next Trojans empty possession led to a Tyger Campbell outlet pass to Clark for a breakaway dunk and a 16-9 lead.

Johnson created more problems a few minutes later when he stole another pass, leading to Clark getting fouled in transition. Clark soon found himself in the middle of a fracas when he fell after contact with Mobley, only to snatch the ball away from Mobley and get tangled up with him when Campbell stood up. The play was ruled a shot-clock violation for the Trojans.

UCLA’s football team joined in on the fun during a timeout late in the first half when it rolled out the Victory Bell it had secured with a 62-33 beatdown over the Trojans in November, players ringing the bell and hurling T-shirts into the crowd.

This looked like it might become a similar runaway when Juzang scored on a putback to put the Bruins up by 11 points before the Trojans closed the first half with a flourish, pulling to within 41-35 by halftime. Both teams were shooting over 50% at that point.

UCLA held the lead largely because it had forced eight turnovers while committing just one.