What occurred in Seattle and Westwood got here right here.
Each time UCLA wanted a basket to generate some momentum or lengthen a lead Thursday evening, it discovered what it wanted from Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The junior guard scored in a wide range of methods throughout one stretch within the second half of the Bruins’ Pac-12 Convention event quarterfinal in opposition to Washington State. He buried a three-pointer. A contested layup. A layup by which he was fouled. Two extra layups. A lay-in off an inbounds lob.
By the point the in-game layup line was over, the second-seeded Bruins had been effectively on the best way to a 75-65 victory over the seventh-seeded Cougars at T-Cellular Enviornment.
For Jaquez, it was the continuation of a latest scoring spree that began final week within the Pacific Northwest. His 23 factors on nine-for-15 taking pictures to go together with 11 rebounds in opposition to the Cougars encompassed 17 factors within the second half, together with 14 of his workforce’s 16 throughout one stretch.
“I’d say simply taking my time down there and taking part in at my pace, not attempting to go get sped up or something like that,” Jaquez stated when requested about his success within the low put up. “Simply actually decelerate and have the ability to discover my teammates as effectively when double groups come, simply taking my time and have the ability to stand up and end.”
Jaquez punctuated his ultimate basket, a nook three-pointer, by making a 3 signal together with his fingers on the best way again down the court docket. He has scored 30, 27 and 23 factors in his final three video games, erasing any lingering worries in regards to the twin ankle braces he’s been carrying for a month.
“Kiki VanDeWeghe,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin stated afterward, alluding to a former Bruin with a knack for dominance, when requested about Jaquez’s latest play.
The Bruins (24-6) will play the winner of the late sport between USC and Washington in a semifinal on Saturday evening of their quest for his or her first Pac-12 event title since 2014. Earlier than this weekend, they’d not appeared in a semifinal since dropping to Arizona in 2018.
Jaquez’s newest huge sport got here with a supportive soundtrack within the Bruins’ first event sport right here in entrance of followers and their band since 2019.
UCLA’s lead was so comfy within the ultimate minutes that the throng of scholars behind one basket chanted “We would like Russell!” in reference to the workforce’s favourite walk-on.
Russell Stong IV entered with 62 seconds left and bought off a three-pointer … that hit the again of the rim earlier than bouncing away.
Guard Jules Bernard was the opposite huge offensive catalyst for UCLA with 19 factors whereas making seven of 12 pictures, together with 4 of eight three-pointers. That was greater than sufficient to offset Andrej Jakimovski’s 15 factors for the Cougars (19-14), who made simply eight of 29 three-pointers (27.6%).
UCLA’s Jules Bernard shoots over Washington State’s Andrej Jakimovski through the second half of the quarterfinal spherical of the Pac-12 event on Thursday in Las Vegas.
(John Locher / Related Press)
UCLA’s protection arrived shortly earlier than halftime, holding Washington State and not using a discipline objective for greater than 81/2 minutes. The lockdown effort triggered a 21-2 run that reworked a taut sport right into a runaway, the Bruins holding a 40-23 lead earlier than the Cougars scored the ultimate 5 factors of the primary half.
The rise in depth corresponded with freshman guard Peyton Watson’s entrance within the sport, his exercise resulting in deflections that turned one thing of a teamwide development. Bernard adopted a steal with a layup in transition as a part of the Bruins’ huge push.
“As soon as we get straightforward bucks in transition,” Bernard stated, “that form of will get our juices flowing.”
Robust protection was wanted with UCLA’s Tyger Campbell in foul hassle. The purpose guard performed simply 10 minutes within the first half after selecting up two fouls and his workforce’s offense was noticeably out of rhythm, committing 5 turnovers earlier than halftime only one sport after having set a faculty report with just one in opposition to USC.
That made Bernard one thing of a savior, his 13 factors by the sport’s midpoint coming after he made 5 of six pictures and three of 4 three-pointers. One barely beat the shot clock, breaking a 21-21 tie, and the Cougars trailed the remainder of the sport.
After being caught in a taking pictures rut that started with the Bruins’ season reboot after a virtually monthlong COVID-19 layoff, Bernard has made 11 of twenty-two three-pointers over his final 4 video games.
“Slumps occur,” Bernard stated, “however I’ve been working diligently to try to get my rhythm again and coming in later within the evening and taking pictures, stuff like that.”
Bernard and Jaquez have discovered their stride at simply the best time, hoping it lasts the remainder of this month whereas following them from metropolis to metropolis.
