Nothing comes easily for UCLA these days, but the Bruins are one victory away from another Final Four appearance.

Kevin Love scored a career-high 29 points and the Bruins nearly frittered away a 21-point halftime lead but hung on to defeat upset-minded Western Kentucky 88-78 in the NCAA West Region on Thursday night.

Top-seeded UCLA will play third-seeded Xavier on Saturday. A win would give UCLA a trip to its third consecutive Final Four.

Love also had 14 rebounds. He was one of three Bruins with a double-double. James Keefe had 18 points and 12 rebounds, both career highs. Russell Westbrook had 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Tyrone Brazelton scored 25 of his game-high 31 points in the second half for 12th-seeded Western Kentucky, which winds up 29-and-7. The Hilltoppers nearly erased all of a 41-20 halftime deficit, closing within four with 6:50 left before the Bruins put it away.