Arizona loses to UCLA, drops 8th game of conference play
Feb 18, 2021, 10:13 PM
Arizona head coach Sean Miller reacts to a call during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against UCLA Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Los Angeles. UCLA won 74-60. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
(AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
LOS ANGELES — Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored a career-high 25 points and UCLA overwhelmed Arizona to start the second half before pulling away to a 74-60 victory on Thursday night.
The second-place Bruins (15-5, 11-3 Pac-12) got 13 points from Tyger Campbell and 10 points from Cody Riley in beating Arizona for the fifth straight time. They improved to 7-0 at home in Pac-12 play.
The Wildcats (14-8, 8-8) were led by James Akinjo with 21 points. Freshman Azuolas Tubelis added 18 points and eight rebounds in 33 minutes, his most of the season.
UCLA made 9 of 10 shots to start the second half and take a 49-39 lead. The Bruins outscored the Wildcats 19-8, getting six points each from Jaquez and Riley. Arizona missed six of its first nine shots.
The Wildcats got to 55-50 on a pair of free throws by Tubelis, who soon picked up his third foul.
Campbell made a 3-pointer and Jaquez Jr. ran off nine straight points, capped by a 3-pointer that pushed UCLA’s lead to 67-54. Johnny Juzang followed with a 3-pointer.
The Wildcats led 31-30 at halftime after being up by eight points. They were limited to one basket over the final 6:59 while getting outscored 10-4 during the Bruins’ first extended run of the game.
UCLA trailed most of the half until taking its first lead at 28-27 on a jumper by Jaquez Jr., who had four straight points in the Bruins’ late spurt. The teams traded one-point leads the rest of the half.
BIG PICTURE
Arizona: Sean Miller is sitting on 299 wins, which ranks third in school history. The Wildcats came in leading the Pac-12 with 76.2 points, but were held well under that.
UCLA: The Bruins need every win they can get in their four scheduled remaining games if they hope to overtake rival USC atop the Pac-12 standings.
UP NEXT
Arizona: Visits No. 17 USC on Saturday.
UCLA: Hosts Arizona State on Saturday.
