UCLA routs Stanford, setting up Pac-12 Tournament matchup with ASU

The matchup is set.

With UCLA knocking off Stanford, 79-72, the Arizona State Suns Devils now know who they will take on in the second round of the Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday.

The Bruins got off to a quick start against the Cardinal, taking a 36-22 lead into halftime.

But Stanford wouldn’t back down, outscoring UCLA 50-43 in the second half. The comeback would fall short, however, as the Bruins held on to the victory.

Stanford was led by Marcus Sheffield and Josh Sharma, who dropped 18 points apiece for the Cardinal. Sharma also led the team in rebounds with 13.

Pacing the Bruins was guard Jaylen Hands, who scored a game-high 22 points and added 10 rebounds and three assists in the win.

After sitting out the first round with a bye, the two-seeded Sun Devils’ first taste of the Pac-12 Tournament will come against the No. 7 seed Bruins.

In their lone regular season meeting in January, the first half between the two squads was tight, with UCLA taking the slim 44-43 lead into the locker room.

But ASU guard Remy Martin and the Sun Devils responded in a big way in the second half.

Dropping 13 of his 15 points in the half and setting a new career high in assists with 11, Martin helped lead the Sun Devils to a 84-73 win, outscoring the Bruins 41-29 in the final half.

Zylan Cheatham chipped in nine points, five assists and 20 rebounds, while Luguentz Dort scored 16. Kimani Lawrence also ended the night in double figures (15 points).

On the other side of the court, UCLA’s Hands and Kris Wilkes set the pace for the Bruins with a combined 30 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

ESSENTIAL INFO

When: 6 p.m.

Radio: 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station

TV: Pac-12 Network

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