Pac-12: Sixth-ranked UCLA steamrolls USC to remain perfect in February

Bryce Alford scored 26 points, including 10 straight in the second half, and No. 6 UCLA beat Southern California 102-70 on Saturday night in Los Angeles, snapping a four-game skid against its crosstown rival while improving to 5-0 in February.

Playing their first game in six days, the Bruins (22-5, 9-5 Pac-12) avenged an 84-76 loss at USC last month to remain the league’s only unbeaten team this month. They are 14-1 at home.

TJ Leaf added 19 points and Thomas Welsh had 16 points and a career high-tying 16 rebounds for the Bruins, who handed USC its worst loss of the season.

Bennie Boatwright had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Trojans (21-6, 8-6). They tied a season high with 14 3-pointers in last month’s win, but hit seven this time and just two in the second half of their first game in a week.

Leaf was held to eight points on 4-of-10 shooting while in foul trouble in the Bruins’ previous loss. His shooting was on early in Saturday’s game, hitting 5 of 7 for 12 points in the first half.

The Bruins tied the game at 23 on Isaac Hamilton’s 3-pointer, one of five made during their 28-11 run to close the half and take a 46-34 lead. Lonzo Ball’s 3-pointer with 4 seconds remaining was UCLA’s seventh of the half.

Led by Welsh, the Bruins extended their lead to 15 points to open the second half. He scored eight of their 18 points to start the half, with Leaf hitting a 3-pointer that made it 61-46.

The Trojans never got closer than nine points before the rout was on.

Alford stretched UCLA’s lead to 81-61 on 10 straight points. He made a 3-pointer and then drove the lane, got hip-checked by Elijah Stewart to draw the foul and made the free throw. He got fouled on UCLA’s next possession, made both and scored on their next trip down the court.

Alford’s alley-oop pass set up Ball’s dunk that had the crowd in a tizzy before Alford hit UCLA’s 10th 3-pointer for a 96-66 lead. Ball’s dunk got the Bruins to the century mark for the ninth time this season.

(7) Oregon 101, Colorado 73: Dillon Brooks scored 23 points and the Ducks extacted some revenge after losing to the Buffaloes earlier this season with a victory in Eugene.

Dylan Ennis added 20 points for the Ducks, who won their 42nd straight home game. It is the longest active home winning streak in the nation.

George King led Colorado with 16 points in the loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak. The Buffaloes trailed by as many as 36 points late in the second half.

It was the final home game of the season for Oregon, which travels to play California and Stanford before visiting in-state rival Oregon State in Corvallis for the regular-season finale.

The Ducks sit behind only fifth-ranked Arizona in the Pac-12 standings with three games to go. The Wildcats’ one conference loss came to the Ducks in Eugene earlier this month.

With the win, Oregon matched the program’s mark for the best overall record at this point of the season, set by the 1926-27 Ducks (24-3).

The Buffaloes are one of just two Pac-12 teams to defeat the Ducks this season, a 74-65 victory in Boulder on Jan. 28. Oregon’s other loss in conference came at UCLA, 79-82, on Feb. 9.

The Buffaloes had won six of their previous seven games after they opened the conference slate with a seven-game losing streak.

Oregon opened the game with three straight 3-pointers and Jordan Bell’s windmill dunk. Oregon made five-3-pointers in a little more than 5 minutes to open the game, but the Buffaloes stayed close and tied the game at 23 midway through the first half on Xavier Johnson’s layup. The Buffs went ahead on two free throws from Deleon Brown.

Colorado’s lead was short-lived. Ennis hit a 3-pointer, layup and jumper that put the Ducks up 35-27 and Oregon went into the half with a 45-32 lead. The Buffaloes didn’t score for the last 3:57 of the half.

Brooks led all scorers at the break with 16 points.

Bell’s tip-in pushed the Ducks’ lead to 55-34. Oregon opened the second half on a 19-2 run and put the game away.

Boucher, a senior playing in his final game at Matthew Knight Arena, got a standing ovation when he fouled out with 7:48 left. He finished with 18 points and seven rebounds.

It was Oregon’s seventh sellout this season.