UCLA basketball: Bruins escape with a 62-57 victory over Oregon State

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Whether UCLA is having a good season or a bad one doesn’t seem to matter.

When the Bruins play Oregon State, they just win.

But there’s rarely as much drama as there was in the final minutes Thursday night at Gill Coliseum during UCLA’s 62-57 victory over the Beavers, giving the Bruins their 13th consecutive triumph in the series.

Oregon State wiped out a 17-point, second-half deficit, taking a 57-55 lead on Roberto Nelson’s three-pointer with 2 minutes 44 seconds left.

But two free throws by UCLA’s Joshua Smith tied the score before Bruins guard Lazeric Jones made a pull-up jumper with 39 seconds left. Smith made two more free throws with 16 seconds left to seal the outcome.

Jones and Reeves Nelson had 13 points apiece for UCLA (10-6 overall, 2-2 Pacific 10 Conference). Nelson had 13 to lead Oregon State (7-9, 2-3).

The Bruins have not lost in Corvallis, Ore., since Dec. 31, 2004. They had won their previous five games here by an average of 16 points.

We’ll have more later at www.latimes.com/sports.

--Ben Bolch, reporting from Corvallis, Ore.