Donovan Dent Unstoppable as the Bruins beat the Trojans 89-68

UCLA #2 Donovan Dent (G) is driving to the basket while several USC Trojans defenders are trying to keep up with him and stop him for scoring at the Galen Center. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1 March 7, 2026.

LOS ANGELES, CA - The USC Trojans (18-13) had a hard time keeping up with the UCLA Bruins (21-10), matching firepower, and no more Chad Baker-Mazara for offense, got beat on their Senior Night 89-68, after watching Donovan Dent (G) went 11 of 15 shooting go for 25 points, Eric Dailey Jr. (F) with 19 points, Tyler Bilodeau (F) with 16 points, and Eric Freeny (G) with 10 points.

“We had a problem staying in front of Dent,” said forward Jacob Cofie. “Eleven for 15, that’s unacceptable.”

Alijah Arenas (G) led the Trojans in scoring with 20 points, Ezra Ausar (F) with 12 points, and Jacob Cofie with 10 points. USC made 24 of 56 shots from the floor, 42.9%, and 7 of 24 from three-point range, 29.2%.

UCLA made 34 of 59 shots from the floor, for 57.6%, and 9 of 17 from three-point range, for 52.9%, which was the difference in the game. Losing seven straight games, and even with early injuries, some of those games were winnable,

“Obviously, our struggling down the stretch has not been characteristic of our past programs,” Musselman said. “It’s actually been the exact opposite.”

USC Trojans #0 Alijah Arenas (G) is being defended by two UCLA Bruins players before he goes up for a jump shot at the free throw line at the Galen Center. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs/TGSportstv1 March 7, 2026.

The USC Trojans took a 5-0 lead with a three-pointer by Alijah Arenas at the top of the key. UCLA would tie the game 7-7 with a three-pointer by Tyler Bilodeau. The Bruins took the lead 9-7 with a layup by Bilodeau.

USC tied the game 12-12 with a three-pointer by Jerry Easter II. UCLA led 19-16 with a three- point jump shot by Jamar Brown.

Jordan Marsh would tie the game 19-19 with a three-pointer from the right side of the court. The Bruins would go up 25-21 with a driving layup by Trent Perry.

UCLA would go on a 6-0 run to lead 31-22, capped off with a layup by Eric Freeny with 6:05 left in the first half. Arenas had USC trailing 34-24 with a jump shot in the paint.

Donovan Dent drove to the basket for a layup to give the Bruins a 43-28 lead. The Bruins led at halftime 45-30 after a layup by the Trojans Jordan Marsh.

USC trailed in the second half 60-44 with a jump shot by Cofie. Dent would pull up for a three-pointer to give the Bruins a 70-46 lead with 11:41 left in the contest. The Trojans were trying to make a run, down by twenty points, 74-54, with a jump shot by Kam Woods.

Arenas would make a pair of free throws that made the score 84-60, in favor of UCLA, with 4:08 left in the game. Eric Dailey Jr.'s three-pointer would be the last basket for the Bruins to give them a 89-68 win to sweep their cross-town rivals, and killed any chance of maybe getting in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.