UCLA women’s basketball beats USC in front of a packed house to stay perfect

Women’s basketball rivalry between UCLA and USC hit new heights on Saturday night at Pauley Pavilion, where 13,659 people saw an exciting Pac-12 opener. Despite a strong effort from No. 6 USC, No. 2 UCLA won 71–64 to keep their lead in this tough battle. With this win, UCLA has now beaten USC nine times in a row and four times this season against ranked teams.

Los Angeles Lakers coach Cori Close said the game was so important that it was the “hottest ticket in any sport, male or female, today in Southern California.” What fans were expecting happened—the electric atmosphere made the battle unforgettable.

Two key players for the Bruins were Londynn Jones (21 points and 6 rebounds) and Lauren Betts (15 points and 8 rebounds). Additionally, Kiki Rice scored 12 points, showing that the Bruins’ offense is well-balanced.

Brilliant freshman Juju Watkins showed her toughness by overcoming a shaky start to the game and ending with an amazing 27 points and 11 rebounds for USC. “We haven’t faced a team like this so far,” Watkins said about how physical the game was, but she managed to adjust and give an impressive showing. Meanwhile, McKenzie Forbes was also very important for USC, scoring 23 points.

The Bruins made their power clear right away by taking an 8-0 lead. The way they played defense, especially against Watkins, limited USC’s overall production. Although Watkins had been scoring 26.8 points per game on average, he had a tough game and could only make one of five shots in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, USC came back in the second quarter, with Watkins finding her flow and leading her team’s comeback. USAC closed the gap against UCLA’s strong defense, making the second half more competitive.

Outscoring USC 20–14 in the third quarter, UCLA grew its lead. Despite USC’s best efforts to come back, UCLA’s strength and ability to score were key. Shortly before break, Angela Dugalić made a deep 3-pointer that gave UCLA a 38–37 lead.

With each passing minute, UCLA’s scoring strength became clear, and they kept control of the game. As a physical force in the paint, Lauren Betts showed how dominant UCLA was. By beating the Trojans 20–19 in the fourth quarter, the Bruins secured their win and extended their winning streak over USC.

Because her team was balanced and worked together, Coach Cori Close said, “It’s sometimes you, sometimes me, always us.” The players’ unity throughout the game showed how strong and resilient UCLA is as a whole.

With extra seating and tighter security to handle the huge crowd, the sellout audience made the game even more important. An impressive group of people, including Russell and Nina Westbrook, were there to cheer on the teams.

The game between UCLA and USC showed how famous women’s basketball is becoming and how strong and competitive women athletes are. Coach Lindsay Gottlieb talked about the good effects, saying, “It’s amazing that little girls, little boys, the community, and all kinds of people are here to watch strong women compete.”

At the end of the day, UCLA won, keeping their lead in the rivalry and leaving a lasting effect on the fans who saw this exciting game. The Bruins’ hard work and determination were clear, proving once again that they are a major force in women’s college basketball.

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