When the Big Ten welcomed UCLA and USC this season, they probably didn’t expect two West Coast schools to dominate the women’s basketball standings like this.
The crosstown rivals will face off on Saturday at a sold-out Pauley Pavilion in a winner-takes-all matchup to determine the regular-season champion of their new league.
“I’m really excited about how far the game has come,” said UCLA coach Cori Close after Friday’s practice. “For young fans, they’ll grow up seeing the best women’s college basketball being played right here in LA.”
USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb shared the excitement, saying, “We love it.”
The Bruins (27-1, 16-1 Big Ten) have lost three straight games to the Trojans, including a 71-60 loss two weeks ago at Galen Center that ended UCLA’s 23-game winning streak and knocked them off the top spot in the rankings.
“I’m excited for our team to bounce back,” said UCLA center Lauren Betts. “I think we gained a lot of insight from our last matchup with them. We’ve definitely improved since then.”
The Trojans (25-2, 16-1) have a strong record against Top 10 teams this season, going 4-1, and they’re undefeated in two road games against such opponents.
The NCAA selection committee has ranked both UCLA and USC as No. 1 seeds in this week’s projection for the NCAA women’s tournament, with UCLA earning the top overall spot.
Since their Feb. 13 meeting, which left the Bruins frustrated for days, neither team has suffered a loss.
“I honestly think we needed that tough loss,” said UCLA coach Cori Close. “We hadn’t faced enough adversity to push ourselves to higher levels.”
USC star JuJu Watkins broke out of a shooting slump during that game, posting 38 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high eight blocked shots against the Bruins.
For the rematch, Watkins emphasized the importance of not overthinking. “You can’t predict what the defense will throw at you, so it’s all about adjusting quickly,” she explained. “Staying in the moment is key, and then just knowing what works for us and playing our best.”
The Bruins are undefeated at home with a 13-0 record and are eager to enter postseason play on a high note.
“I don’t feel any pressure for this game,” said Betts. “We just want to go out and attack, dominate, and that has nothing to do with rankings or how many games we’ve won.”
The Trojans’ only losses have come against then-sixth-ranked Notre Dame and at Iowa a month ago. Watkins is determined to help USC seniors Rayah Marshall and Clarice Akunwafo deliver another blow to the Bruins, especially after their strong defensive performance against Betts two weeks ago.
“The key is to go out with enough hunger and determination that nothing can stop us,” Watkins said.
Close is in her 14th season working to establish UCLA as a dominant women’s basketball program, following in the footsteps of the men’s team, which holds a record 11 national championships. Gottlieb is in her fourth season of rebuilding USC’s program, which had its peak in the early 1980s.
“It’s an incredible position to be in—playing for the championship on the final day of the regular season and having the chance to control our own fate,” Gottlieb said. “It’s right there within our reach.”
