The UCLA Bruins look to finish their Pac-12 Conference season strong with a pair of home games, starting Thursday night against the Washington State Cougars at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The Bruins have owned the series of late, winning 36 of their last 38 meetings, and are 53-2 all time against the Cougars at home.
The Bruins won their first meeting against the Cougars this season, a 63-60 triumph in Pullman on February 4. The highest seed UCLA can get in the Pac-12 Tournament is No. 5, and that would require a pair of Bruin wins, against Washington State and Washington, and a pair of Oregon losses, at Oregon and Oregon State. UCLA owns the tiebreaker with Colorado by virtue of their 77-60 triumph over the Buffaloes on January 28 in Los Angeles.
UCLA has won 11 of their last 12 home games.
Lazeric Jones leads the Bruins this season in scoring (13.0 points per game), assists (4.1 per contest) and steals (1.83 per game) this season. Jones had 15 points, four rebounds, and four assists in the Bruins' road win against Washington State earlier this season. Center Joshua Smith scored 19 points in 22 minutes, on 8-of-9 shooting, in the win, and is one of three Bruins this season to average at least 10 points and five rebounds per game.
Junior forward Brock Motum leads the Cougars in both scoring (17.8 points per game) and rebounds (6.6 per game) this season, and had 25 points and 11 rebounds in the loss to UCLA on February 4.
Thursday night's game will not be televised.
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