Ayton scored seven of his 32 points in overtime and grabbed 14 rebounds, lifting No. 15 Arizona to a 78-67 victory over UCLA in the Pac-12 Tournament semifinals on Friday night.
Ayton triggered a second-half resurgence after Arizona (26-7) labored offensively in the first half. UCLA (21-11) matched Arizona nearly shot for shot, tying the game at 67 on Jaylen Hands' drive with eight seconds left. Teammate Aaron Holiday missed on a runner at the buzzer after an Arizona turnover.
Thomas Welsh led UCLA with 17 points and 17 rebounds. Holiday, the Pac-12's leading scorer, had 15 points but sure had to work for it.