This story was updated March 2 at 2:47 PST.
From the get-go, the score told the story and the Trojans never looked back.
USC women’s basketball went into Westwood with a lot at stake – rivalry bragging rights, the Big Ten regular-season championship and the top seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. They left with all of that after a resounding 80-67 win over UCLA.
The win was USC’s largest over UCLA since 2014 and largest on the road since 2008, when the Trojans also earned a 13-point win in Westwood. USC’s four-game winning streak over its rivals is the longest for the Trojans since a seven-game winning stretch between 2001-2008.
Amid the boos and hollering from a sold out Pauley Pavilion, the Trojans got off to a hot start. Sophomore guard JuJu Watkins and senior center Rayah Marshall pushed USC to a quick 9-0 lead – which featured a Watkins 3-pointer to open the score.
Watkins ended the night with 30 points and three blocks, adding to her previous point total of 38 in the Trojans’ first encounter with the Bruins this season.
“I’m confident, the work speaks for itself, so as long as we continue to stick with the process we’ll see success,” Watkins said.
It took UCLA just over five minutes, and a field goal from junior forward Janiah Parker, to finally cut into the USC lead. Despite Watkins’ success behind the 3-point line, the Bruins slowly began chipping away at the score towards the end of the first quarter with strong play from junior guard Kiki Rice, eventually bringing the score within three, 23-20.
That was as close as the Bruins got in the first half.
USC continued to pour the rain on the Bruins, taking advantage of UCLA’s 11 first-half turnovers. The Trojan defense limited UCLA to only 12 points in the second quarter, while extending their lead to 46-32 at the half.
Turnovers continued to haunt the Bruins early in the third. Junior center Lauren Betts picked up her third traveling call. Despite the troubles, USC was unable to stop the Bruins’ offensive momentum, allowing a 19-7 run to bring the score to 55-51.
That was then when Watkins, graduate forward Kiki Iriafen and sophomore guard Malia Samuel went to work, pouring a quick 9-0 run to close out the third with a double-digit 64-51 lead.
“It was honestly a team effort. I think everyone stepped and made some big plays,” Iriafen said. “Avery [Howell] had some big shots, consecutive threes, that were changing the tide for us.”
The Trojan defense held the Bruins to a mere 36% shooting on the night, reminiscent of the previous encounter when the Bruins shot 35%.
Despite the Bruins’ efforts, the Trojans’ offensive onslaught was too much for them. Freshman guard Avery Howell poured back-to-back 3-pointers, leading to a 10-4 fourth-quarter run.
At the end of the buzzer, it was said and done – USC reigned supreme in Los Angeles. Even though all five Trojan starters finished with three or more fouls, only graduate guard Talia von Oelhoffen fouled out as head coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s squad showed poise while in foul trouble.
“To have a celebration after the way that we have played together is very, very gratifying, and it’s just fun,” Gottlieb said.
The Trojans are off to the Big Tournament in Indianapolis with the No. 1 seed and are awaiting to find out who they will face off against. The tournament tips off on March 5.