LOS ANGELES — Isaac Hamilton scored 11 of his 22 points in the final 5 ½ minutes after UCLA built an early 20-point, second-half lead to cruise past last-place Washington State 83-50 Saturday, snapping a two-game skid.
Bryce Alford added 12 points, making all seven of his free throws, and the Bruins (13-9, 4-5 Pac-12) went 24 of 28 from the line in salvaging a split after losing to first-place Washington 86-84 on Thursday.
Thomas Welsh had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Aaron Holiday added 10 points in avenging an 85-78 road loss to the Cougars earlier this month. In shaking up his lineup, coach Steve Alford didn’t start Tony Parker for the first time in 22 games this season. The senior had 11 points off the bench.
Ike Iroegbu scored 16 points to lead Washington State, which has lost seven in a row.
The Cougars (9-12, 1-8) closed within eight early in the second half before UCLA went on a 14-7 run that extended its lead to 50-30. Alford had five points and Holiday three as five different players scored.
From there, the Cougars never made another run. Hamilton fired off 11 straight points by himself, capping his offensive outburst with a pair of 3-pointers that made it 76-48.
TIP-INS
Washington State: The Cougars got swept in Los Angeles, losing 81-71 at USC on Thursday.
UCLA: F Jonah Bolden had three points and seven rebounds starting in place of Parker. … The Bruins have won their last six home games against the Cougars. … F Alex Olesinski got hurt with 2:18 left after the starters had gone to the bench.
UP NEXT
Washington State hosts No. 18 Arizona on Wednesday.
UCLA visits crosstown rival Southern California on Wednesday in the start of a three-game road trip.
