Tyger Campbell lifts No. 2 UCLA past Oregon in Pac-12 semis
UCLA guard Tyger Campbell (10) reacts after scoring a three-point basket against Oregon during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament, Friday, March 10, 2023, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP/Chase Stevens
LAS VEGAS — Tyger Campbell scored a career-high 28 points, including all seven during a key second-half run, and No. 2 UCLA beat Oregon 75-56 on Friday night in the Pac-12 Conference Tournament semifinals.
The Bruins (29-4) will play No. 8 Arizona or Arizona State in Saturday's title game. UCLA has won 12 straight and 26 of 28, and one more victory likely would secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Oregon (19-14) had won four in a row. The Ducks are on the NCAA bubble.
Campbell's personal seven-point run gave UCLA a 57-46 lead. The 5-foot-11 point guard capped the spurt by dribbling near the key, backing up, looking at the shot clock and then charging ahead for a pull-up 16-footer over Oregon 7-footer Kel'el Ware.
Campbell's previous best was a 27-point performance Feb. 12, 2022 against Southern California.
UCLA lost a big defensive presence inside when Adem Bona injured his left arm while diving for a loose ball. He grabbed his arm and shortly afterward was taken to the locker room with 16:14 left in the game. Bona had done a little bit of everything with four points, four rebounds and two blocked shots.
Bona returned to the bench but didn't re-enter the game. Mac Etienne and Kenneth Nwuba played in his place.
UCLA guard Tyger Campbell (10) drives to the basket against Oregon center N'Faly Dante (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament, Friday, March 10, 2023, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP/Chase Stevens
UCLA was already playing the tournament without Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Jaylen Clark.
Campbell helped the Bruins overcome those losses. Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 18 points and David Singleton had 12.
Quincy Guerrier and Will Richardson each scored 10 points for Oregon.
BIG PICTURE
UCLA guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24) drives to the basket against Oregon center Nate Bittle during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Tournament, Friday, March 10, 2023, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP/Chase Stevens
Oregon: The Ducks ran into one of the nation's top defenses, and they especially struggled from outside, shooting 3 of 19 from 3-point range. Oregon managed to hang around thanks to a bench that outscored UCLA 26-4.
UCLA: The Bruins have managed to win both games in the tournament without Clark and got by without Bona in the second half against the Ducks. They likely will need to get healthier to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
UP NEXT
Oregon: The Ducks will find out Sunday if they are headed to the NCAA Tournament or NIT.
UCLA: The Bruins want the No. 1 seed in the West, which could put them back in Las Vegas in two weeks for the regional. They must win Saturday to ensure that.
