Alford Scores 22 In UCLA's 75-59 Win Over Oregon State
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bryce Alford made five 3-pointers while scoring 22 points, Tony Parker added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and UCLA led all the way in beating Oregon State 75-59 Wednesday night.
The Bruins (15-10, 7-5 Pac-12) improved to 51-7 against the Beavers in games played in Los Angeles, having won 11 in a row.
Gary Payton II tied his career high with 24 points and Langston Morris-Walker added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Beavers (16-8, 7-5), who dropped into a fourth-place tie with the Bruins. Oregon State's two-game winning streak ended.
UCLA has just six games remaining to move up in the standings and earn itself a high seed in the league tournament. It will need a strong showing in Las Vegas to have a shot at making the NCAA tournament.
The Bruins, who have won seven of their last 10, used 3-point shooting to build a 15-8 lead, with Alford hitting two of their first four. They made 10 3s in the game.
Oregon State closed within three before UCLA outscored the Beavers 20-8 to end the first half leading 40-25. Alford hit consecutive 3s going into the break, giving the Bruins seven in the half. They shot 55 percent and owned a 21-12 edge on the boards.
UCLA maintained its double-digit lead in the second half, with Alford's fifth 3-pointer stretching the Bruins' lead to 51-34. Isaac Hamilton, who finished with 16 points and nine assists, followed with a 3 to make it 54-38.
The Bruins continued pulling away even as Parker picked up his fourth foul. They made 8 of 10 free throws during one stretch for their largest lead of the game, 70-50.
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