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Arizona, UCLA win to set up Pac-12 showdown on Saturday

Arizona State guard Torian Graham shoots under UCLA forward TJ Leaf during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, in Tempe, Ariz. (Matt York / Associated Press)
Associated Press
Arizona State guard Torian Graham shoots under UCLA forward TJ Leaf during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, in Tempe, Ariz. (Matt York / Associated Press)

Allonzo Trier scored a season-high 25 points, including four 3-pointers, and No. 4 Arizona beat USC 90-77 on Thursday night in Tucson, Arizona, to stay alone atop the Pac-12 and set up a Saturday showdown against No. 5 UCLA.

Rawle Alkins added 12 points and Lauri Markkanen had 11 for the Wildcats (26-3, 15-1) in Arizona’s 21st consecutive home win.

Bennie Boatwright scored 23 points and Chimezie Metu had 15 for the Trojans (22-7, 8-7), who lost their third in a row – to the top three teams in the conference (Arizona, Oregon and UCLA).

The Wildcats closed the first half with a 12-2 run and were up by as many as 16 points in the second half.

Arizona made 11 3-pointers in 20 attempts, its most 3s in a Pac-12 game this season.

(5) UCLA 87, Arizona State 75: T.J. Leaf scored 25 points, and the Bruins (25-3, 12-3 Pac-12) defeated the Sun Devils (13-16, 6-10) in Tempe, Arizona.

The Bruins won their sixth straight game. Aaron Holiday added 17 points and Thomas Welsh had eight points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes.

Torian Graham led Arizona State with 28 points and Kodi Justice added 19. The Sun Devils hit 14 3-pointers but were outrebounded 49-30.

UCLA freshman sensation Lonzo Ball finished with just four points, well under his per-game average of 16.9. Ball, UCLA’s leading scorer this season, missed a couple of minutes in the first half to get his right ankle checked, briefly returning to the locker room. He returned to action just before halftime and ended up with 11 rebounds and five assists.