WOMEN’S BASKETBALL : Leslie Leads USC Past Arizona

In its final game before the NCAA tournament, 15th-ranked USC got 24 points and 12 rebounds from Lisa Leslie while defeating Arizona, 78-62, Saturday at the Lyon Center.

USC completed the regular season with a 21-6 record--the Trojans’ best since 1986, when they were 26-5 and reached the Final Four. USC finished second in the Pac-10 behind Stanford, with a 14-4 record.

After struggling the past three games offensively, USC made 51.7% of its shots.

USC took control with a 10-0 run, taking a 19-6 lead, and had a 20-point lead at halftime. When Arizona cut the lead to 68-60 during the second half, USC scored 10 of the game’s final 12 points.

Join Easterly added 22 points for the Trojans.

Shawn Coder had 20 points for Arizona (13-14, 7-11).

UCLA 72, Arizona State 71--The Sun Devils’ Jovanne Smith missed the front end of a one-and-one free-throw situation with no time left and the Bruins held on to win at Pauley Pavilion.

Nicole Anderson had a career-high 24 points, including a go-ahead free throw with 21 seconds left for UCLA (13-14, 8-10).

Arizona is 17-10 overall, 10-8 in conference play.