Ayton, selected the tournament's most valuable player, shot 14 of 20 from the field and finished two rebounds short of a career high a day after scoring a career-high 34 points in a 78-67 overtime victory over UCLA in the semifinals.

"I came here to make my own history," Ayton said.

Seven-footer Dusan Ristic scored 16 points, Parker Jackson-Cartwright had 10 points and five assists, and Allonzo Trier had nine points and four assists for the Wildcats (27-7). Arizona has won the past two Pac-12 tournaments and three of the past four.

Nick Rakocevic had 13 points and six rebounds, Jordan McLaughlin had 12 points and nine assists, and Jonah Mathews added 11 points for the Trojans (23-11). The trip to the conference tournament final appears to be enough for USC to make the NCAA Tournament.

Arizona has won seven of its past eight games, starting with its 81-67 home victory over USC in the teams' only previous meeting this season.

Neither team led by more than four points before Jackson-Cartwright hit a 3-pointer and dunks by Alkins and Ayton gave Arizona a 53-46 lead with 8:51 remaining. The Wildcats pushed the lead to 59-49 after an extended 19-8 run with 5:45 remaining. USC never was closer than six after that.

The Wildcats are 7-1 against USC coach Andy Enfield, who has led the Trojans to 70 victories, the most wins in a three-year stretch in program history.

Ayton set an Arizona season record with his 23rd double-double, and he tied the Pac-12 freshman record set by UCLA's Kevin Love in 2008. Ayton is the third player to win the Pac-12 player of the year and freshman of the year awards in the same season, joining Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Love.

Ayton had 13 points and Mathews and Rakocevic had 11 apiece as USC took a 33-30 halftime lead. Ayton and Ristic scored the final 13 Arizona points of the first half.

--Field Level Media