Jaquez leads No. 9 UCLA past Washington to end 2-game skid

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 15points and 10 rebounds, Amari Bailey scored 13 points and No. 9UCLA beat Washington 70-61 on Thursday night.

UCLA completed a season sweep of Washington and stopped atwo-game skid that had followed a 14-game winning streak. TheBruins (18-4, 9-2 Pac-12) won their 20th straight home game datingto last season and remained in first place in the conferencestandings.

UCLA dominated inside and defensively in the first half, scoring26 of its first 30 points in the paint. However, the Bruins weresloppy, finishing with 18 turnovers. Tyger Campbell and Bailey eachhad five giveaways and Jaquez had four.

“Eighteen turnovers to me, would be like to other coaches whatis 25,” UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. “It’s beyond unacceptable. Oursupposed best two players had nine turnovers. ... Those twosingle-handedly let the other team back in the game with theircarelessness with the ball.”

Keion Brooks Jr. led Washington (13-11, 5-8) with 23 points.

The Huskies — who finished with 20 turnovers of their own — cutthe lead to seven points several times in the second half but nevergot closer.

“If you turn the ball over they get out in transition and youdon’t have a chance to get back and get your defense set up,”Jacquez said. “Ball security dictates a lot of your offense anddefense in the second half. We just didn’t have that.”

Washington fell behind early and didn’t score for a six-minutestretch. Braxton Meah dunked to end that drought and pull his teamwithin 26-10 with 6:44 left in the first half.

“In the second half I thought we shared the ball, and KeionBrooks did a great job on isolations and moving the ball,”Washington coach Mike Hopkins said. “You have to make shots. In thefirst half, we were 2 for 14 from the 3-point line. You’re notgoing to win too many games shooting that percentage.”

UCLA’s Jaylen Clark caught the opening tip between two defendersand scoring on an uncontested layup 5 seconds into the game.

UCLA beat Washington 79-49 last month and has won eight straightin the series.

STARS IN THE SEATS

Singer Lance Bass, actor Jaleel White and former UCLA and NBAstar Trevor Ariza were all in attendance. ... Former NFL defensiveback Carnell Lake, who played at UCLA from 1985-88, was honoredduring the game.

HE SAID IT

“They do happen in the course of the game, but when you’rethrowing passes at people’s feet and Nolan Ryan fastballs off theglass, you think you’re going to win anyway, in my opinion,tonight, you’re screwing around. And in doing that, all you do ismake yourself look bad. Really bad.” — Cronin on UCLA’sturnovers.

BIG PICTURE

Washington: The Huskies will need to figure out how to run theiroffense more effectively against tough defenses if they want tomake a run in the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas.

UCLA: The Bruins held the Huskies to 22 first-half points.

UP NEXT

Washington: At USC on Saturday.

UCLA: Hosts Washington State on Saturday.