UCLA and USC basketball: Trojans top Bruins, 67-46

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Before the postseason ban, USC was hot with eight consecutive wins and a boatload of momentum.

Following the postseason ban, the Trojans lost two in a row, and momentum skipped town.

But it didn’t go across town, where the Trojans soundly topped UCLA, 67-46, this evening on the back of senior guard Dwight Lewis and plenty of Bruins mistakes.

[Update: The win is also USC’s biggest ever in Pauley Pavilion, which opened in 1965, not just USC’s biggest win in Pauley since 1993, as was previously stated. It was also USC’s biggest win against UCLA since winning 53-25 in 1945.]

Lewis had a season-high 24 points. He had 17 in the first half, helping put USC ahead 33-21 at intermission.

UCLA, meanwhile, fumbled away possessions, had lengthy scoring droughts, and got dominated on the glass.

USC opened the second half on an 18-7 run to go up, 50-28, and that was pretty much it. Fans started heading toward the exit with about six minutes left.

USC (11-6 overall, 3-2 in Pacific 10 Conference play) snaps a four-game road losing streak with the win.

UCLA (7-10, 2-2) falls for the second straight game after dropping a 70-59 decision at Stanford.

-- Baxter Holmes