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Trevor Ariza loses his balance against USC’s guard Desmon Farmer during Wednesday’s g

The Pac-10’s most notorious villain stole one from UCLA on Thursday night.

With Pauley Pavilion rumbling and all the momentum squarely behind the Bruins, USC’s Desmon Farmer snatched it right back.

Punctuating every basket with a smug smirk or a menacing stare, the Trojan guard almost singlehandedly thwarted UCLA’s second-half comeback attempt as USC left Pauley Pavilion victorious for the second consecutive season.

“We took this one from them,” he said. “(USC) Coach (Henry Bibby) told me to be the leader, and that’s exactly what I did.”

As UCLA chipped away at its 20-point halftime deficit, Farmer seemed to will his teammates onward. He buried two consecutive 3-pointers after the Bruins had cut the lead to 13, giving USC a seemingly comfortable 19-point margin.

When UCLA mounted its final charge in the closing minutes, Farmer again had the answer. Moments after knifing to the basket to put the Trojans up eight, he sealed the Bruins’ fate with a pair of free throws with 17.2 seconds remaining in the game that made the score 74-69.

Farmer finished with a game-high 28 points and six rebounds, earning begrudging praise from his crosstown rivals.

“Farmer really killed us,” UCLA coach Ben Howland said. “We had difficulty guarding the ball all night. He was the key in the second half.”

UCLA has struggled to limit dribble penetration all season, and Farmer exposed that weakness throughout the game. He used his quickness to repeatedly blow by the taller, slower Bruins, forcing Ben Howland to switch defenses out of desperation midway through the second half.

Since neither Dijon Thompson nor Trevor Ariza were able to stay with Farmer in the man-to-man, Howland unveiled a 2-3 zone in a last-ditch attempt to claw back into the game. The scheme did allow the Bruins to make it close, but it was not enough to complete the miraculous comeback.

“Farmer’s had a big year,” UCLA point guard Cedric Bozeman said. “He’s their best player. He was really consistent in both halves.”

Howland repeatedly emphasized how disappointed he was in the Bruins’ lack of passion – a quality that Farmer exudes each time he steps on the floor.

The ringleader of the Trojan circus evokes the ire of opposing fans and players alike with his showmanship on the court. UCLA fans had already begun taunting Farmer on Thursday night, even before he pranced out of the tunnel for the pre-game shootaround.

But although he missed the front end of a pair of one-and-ones late in the game, Farmer said the crowd actually fueled his performance.

“I like the crowd taunting me,” he said. “I play better away from home. This was a big game for us. We were a little shaky at the end, but I’m happy we got it done.”