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UCLA and USC meet with NCAA Tournament implications on the line
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- UCLA and USC meet with NCAA Tournament implications on the line
They're rivals from the opposite sides of town — and the NCAA tournament bubble.
UCLA's basketball team is likely in at the moment, saved by a coast-to-coast layup that preserved an epic comeback .
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USC is in a far more precarious spot , having somehow squandered a six-point lead in the final minute against one of the worst teams in the Big Ten.
UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin reacts in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines. Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
But things can change quickly this time of year.
Should the Trojans prevail against the Bruins when the teams meet Tuesday night at Pauley Pavilion, their respective fortunes could flip.
As of his latest bracket projection Monday, ESPN analyst Joe Lunardi listed UCLA (18-9 overall, 10-6 Big Ten) as one of his last four teams to receive a bye, avoiding a dreaded play-in game.
USC? Lunardi had the Trojans (18-9, 7-9) as one of his first four teams out of the bracket. That made sense considering USC has lost three consecutive games in the wake of its home meltdown against Oregon on Saturday.
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"I mean, our locker room's crushed," Trojans coach Eric Musselman told reporters afterward. "They knew what was at stake. You know, we win this game, we're in a really good spot; we lose this game, we're in a really tough, difficult spot. Somehow, we've got to try to regroup."
Perhaps the Trojans can rally around having played their best basketball on the road. Five of their nine losses — including setbacks against Big Ten bottom feeders Oregon and Northwestern — have come at the Galen Center.
Southern California guard Alijah Arenas scores against Oregon. AP
Meanwhile, USC logged one of the conference's best road wins when it beat Wisconsin last month before nearly knocking off Ohio State in Columbus a few weeks ago.
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"We've been super focused on the road," Musselman said.
In another promising development, the return of guard Chad Baker-Mazara gives the Trojans considerably more offensive firepower. During his first game back since being sidelined nearly three weeks by a minor knee sprain, Baker-Mazara scored 21 points against the Ducks to lead all scorers.
The Trojans won't get any sympathy from their suddenly surging rivals.
Donovan Dent's dramatic layup after driving the length of the court in 4.9 seconds gave the Bruins far more than a 95-94 overtime victory over Illinois. It also quieted growing discontent surrounding coach Mick Cronin and reinvigorated players who faced the prospect of a third consecutive blowout loss before rallying from 23 points down to complete the biggest comeback in school history.
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Cronin contributed by juggling his starting lineup. Skyy Clark joined Dent and Trent Perry as part of a three-guard attack that also included Tyler Bilodeau going back to center in place of Xavier Booker . The move had the added benefit of appearing to inspire Booker, who made seven of eight shots on the way to 16 points off the bench.
Michigan State center Carson Cooper, left, defends UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau. AP
Standing in a corner of Pauley Pavilion afterward, Dent told the California Post that the Bruins had identified the model for what they needed to do the rest of the season.
"We want the team that plays hard on defense, takes care of the ball and has great shots – that team is dangerous," Dent said. "When we're the team that's second-guessing everything we do as players and we don't have the confidence within each other, that's when the trip at Michigan happened. So we want the team that's going to be confident and plays with each other."
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In need of a strong finish, the crosstown rivals will play each other twice over a 12-day span to close the regular season. Their remaining schedules are comparable, with each team playing Nebraska at home and going on the road for one more game – UCLA will play at Minnesota on Saturday, USC will face Washington on March 4.
"Our seasons are on the line right now," Dent said of both teams. "So we've just got to play with everything we have. We're in desperation mode right now."
That includes efforts to fill their home arena.
Before he finished a euphoric session with reporters Saturday night, UCLA forward Eric Dailey Jr. made an unprompted appeal to fans to support a team that hasn't enjoyed a single home sellout this season.
"I know it's a rivalry game, so y'all probably gonna pack it out anyways," Dailey said, "but make sure y'all be there."
