Dent keeps UCLA rolling

The senior stays hot with 30 points as the Bruins turn back the struggling Trojans.

- BY STEVE GALLUZZO

DONOVAN DENT goes up for a shot over USC's Chad Baker-Mazara in a Big Ten game. Baker-Mazara scored 25 points Tuesday, but USC lost its fourth in a row.

(ERIC THAYER Los Angeles Times)

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 eight 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 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 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.