No. 6 USC hands No. 1 UCLA its first loss of the season, 71-60
🗡️ Southern Cal hands UCLA its first loss
Into the early morning of Valentine's Day on the east coast, Juju Watkins and the sixth-ranked Trojans knocked off No. 1 UCLA 71-60, finally adding a loss to the Bruins' previously unblemished record.
This win marks the first time the Trojans have defeated a No. 1 ranked team since 1983.
It was a captivating performance from one of women's basketball's best as Watkins dropped 38 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocks and five assists in front of a star-studded Los Angeles crowd.
The 6-foot-2 sophomore became the first player to tally 35 points, five assists and five blocks in a game in the past 20 seasons across all Division I basketball.
USC (22-2, 12-1 Big Ten) carried a 38-35 lead into the break, but the top-ranked Bruins found their rhythm in the third quarter, outscoring the Trojans 17-9 to take a 52-47 lead into the final 10 minutes.
The first five minutes of the fourth were neck-and-neck after the Trojans opened on a 6-0 run as the inner-city rivals traded the lead four times. But behind a rocking Galen Center, USC went on a 13-3 run in the final four minutes, cruising to a double-digit win over the nation's last undefeated team.
That’s how champions finish!! ✌️
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics)
It was a highly anticipated matchup that exceeded all expectations, and their next matchup on March 1 will certainly be must-watch TV.
📈 JuJu keeps climbing
With her impressive scoring this game, JuJu Watkins surpasses 1,500 points as a Trojan.
1.5K FOR JUJU!
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB)
JUJU WATKINS HAS ECLIPSED 1,500 CAREER POINTS ✌️
🏁 Close finish
👏 Bruins stay in front
UCLA is holding a 52-47 lead as the third quarter ends. JuJu Watkins leads USC with 30 points while Lauren Betts and KiKi Rice lead the Bruins with 18 and 10, respectively.
Here's how the stats stand after the third:
⭐️ Stars fill up the Galen Center
Kevin Hart, Kelsey Plum, Issa Rae and Michael Rubin and more are in the house for some women's hoops.
Issa Rae & Kevin Hart in the building! 🏡
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB)
🐻 UCLA creeps back
UCLA jumps out of the break with a 10-point scoring run. Londynn Jones sinks a three-pointer and gives the Bruins a 45-38 lead as UCLA erases their deficit. Lauren Betts still leads the squad with 16 points. Just over seven minutes left in the third quarter.
🏀 HALFTIME: USC 38, UCLA 35
KIki Rice tied it up 35-35 for the Bruins with 1 minute before halftime, but USC responded with a three-pointer and gritty defense to take the 38-35 lead at the break.
JuJu Watkins is HOOPING vs No. 1 UCLA 😤🔥
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport)
25 PTS
6-7 3PT
3 REB
2 BLK
It's only the FIRST HALF 🤯
(via )
JuJu Watkins is on fire, scoring 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting with six threes. Talia von Oelhoffen has five points, while USC seeks more offensive help.
UCLA stays balanced, led by Lauren Betts (9), Kiki Rice (8), and Janiah Barker (7) as the Bruins aim to slow Watkins in the second half.
Here's how the stats stack up:
💪 Watkins takes it coast to coast
‼️ USC keeps rolling
After scoring the first three of the game, Talia Von Oelhoffen throws up the buzzer beater to send the Trojans to the second quarter. JuJu Watkins continues to heat up. She has 11 of USC's 24 points. UCLA is still in the game with 15.
Big time shot from T 💥
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB)
Here's how the stats hold up after the first quarter:
🔥 JuJu starts HOT
👀 Starting lineups
USC Trojans
UCLA Bruins
⏰ It's GAME DAY
We're counting down the hours until the No. 6 USC Trojans host the undefeated No. 1 UCLA Bruins at the Galen Center. All the action tips off at 10 p.m. ET on Peacock, or you can follow the live stats here.
one. day. away. 👀✌️‼️
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB)
🔮 Latest bracket predictions
With March Madness inching closer, No. 1 UCLA and No. 6 USC are firmly in the mix as top contenders in Autumn Johnson's latest bracket prediction.
- UCLA remains a No. 1 seed in the Spokane Region, holding the top spot as the only undefeated team in the country.
- Southern California is a No. 2 seed in the Birmingham Region, securing its place among the nation’s best.
Here are the bracket predictions, with both UCLA and Southern California in bold:
| SEED | Spokane 1 | Birmingham 2 | Spokane 4 | Birmingham 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UCLA | Notre Dame | Texas | South Carolina |
| 16 | Longwood / Tennessee Tech | Fairleigh Dickinson / Texas Southern | Wofford | North Carolina A&T |
| 8 | Mississippi State | Michigan | Illinois | Richmond |
| 9 | South Dakota State | Creighton | Louisville | Iowa |
| 5 | Georgia Tech | Michigan State | Maryland | Ole Miss |
| 12 | UTSA | Florida Gulf Coast | UNLV | Belmont |
| 4 | Tennessee | Kansas State | Duke | Oklahoma |
| 13 | Montana State | Fairfield | Hawaii | James Madison |
| 6 | West Virginia | Alabama | Florida State | Oklahoma State |
| 11 | Harvard / Arizona | Virginia Tech / Nebraska | Minnesota | Middle Tennessee |
| 3 | Kentucky | North Carolina | TCU | Ohio State |
| 14 | Grand Canyon | Norfolk State | Gonzaga | Ball State |
| 7 | Cal | Baylor | Utah | Vanderbilt |
| 10 | Oregon | Indiana | Columbia | Iowa State |
| 2 | UConn | LSU | Southern California | NC State |
| 15 | UAlbany | Southeastern Louisiana | Purdue Fort Wayne | Lehigh |
🏀 Historic rivalry: Bruins vs. Trojans
No. 1 UCLA and No. 6 USC meet Thursday night with Big Ten supremacy on the line. The two Los Angeles powerhouses have dominated the conference, and with just a handful of games remaining in the regular season, this battle could determine the conference champion.
The Bruins (23-0, 11-0 Big Ten) remain the only undefeated team in the country and are looking to extend their perfect season. The Trojans (21-2, 11-1) have won four straight and have a home-court advantage in front of a sold-out crowd.
All-time series: UCLA leads 55-49
Last season: UCLA and USC split their two regular-season meetings before the Trojans won a double-overtime thriller in the Pac-12 Tournament
What’s at stake: A USC win would put the Trojans in first place with the head-to-head tiebreaker. A UCLA win would create a two-game lead at the top of the Big Ten standings.
Key Players to Watch
- UCLA: Lauren Betts (19.6 PPG, 9.7 RPG), Kiki Rice (12.7 PPG, 4.3 APG)
- USC: JuJu Watkins (23.9 PPG, 6.7 RPG), Kiki Iriafen (18.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG)
Both teams are coming off dominant wins and will play in front of a sold-out crowd at the Galen Center. The last time these teams met in this building, USC pulled off an upset — will history repeat itself, or will UCLA continue its unbeaten run?
👀 Key storylines to follow
🔥 Can USC’s defense contain UCLA’s frontcourt?: Lauren Betts (19.6 PPG, 9.7 RPG) has dominated inside, but USC’s Kiki Iriafen (18.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG) is up for the challenge.
🚀 JuJu Watkins vs. UCLA’s defense: Watkins (23.9 PPG) struggled early vs. Ohio State but still posted a double-double. UCLA will throw multiple defenders at the freshman standout.
🎯 Turnover battle: UCLA and USC each committed 23 turnovers against Ohio State — who takes better care of the ball tonight?
📍 The Galen Center effect: The Trojans already have two sellouts this season. Will the home crowd make a difference?