Thursday, February 13
Los Angeles, Calif.
7:00 p.m.
USC
22-2,12-1Big Ten
71
vs
60
UCLA
23-1,11-1Big Ten
1
2
3
4
F
UCLA
15
20
17
8
60
Southern California
24
14
9
24
71
Team Stats
UCLA
USC
FG%
.351
.333
3FG%
.154
.444
FT%
.720
.840
RB
45
35
TO
20
9
STL
3
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
38
FGM
12
3FGM
6
FTM
8
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
5
FGM
1
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
C/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballJuJu Watkins Scores 38 As No. 6 USC Women’s Basketball Hands No. 1 UCLA Its First Loss In 71-58 Decision At Galen Center
February 13, 2025 | Women's Basketball
It’s the first USC win over an AP No. 1 opponent since 1983.
LOS ANGELES — The No. 6 USC women's basketball team weathered a third-quarter storm from visiting No. 1 UCLA and then swamped the Bruins in the fourth with a comeback push that netted a 71-60 victory for the Trojans at Galen Center. The win over its rival marked USC's first over an AP top-ranked team since 1983 and handed the Bruins their first loss of the season. USC sophomore JuJu Watkins shined brightly in this one, notching 38 points with 11 rebounds and a career-high eight blocks to help her Trojans improve to 22-2 overall and 12-1 in Big Ten play. UCLA is now 23-1, 11-1.
Watkins delivered 25 of USC's 38 first-half points to help the Trojans lead the Bruins 38-35 at halftime. USC was shooting 38.2 percent overall but was a hot 7-of-11 from beyond the arc by the break. UCLA shots 44.4 percent overall in the first half and had hit one three. The Bruins were bigger on the boards, though, outrebounding USC 23-12 in those first 20 minutes of play. USC stayed largely even on the boards with UCLA in the second half, with the Bruins finishing with a 45-35 advantage, but UCLA went cold from the field during the fourth to see a seven-point lead melt away as USC outscored the Bruins 24-8 in the fourth to secure the upset win. USC wrapped the game shooting 33.3 percent overall while holding UCLA to a season-low 35.1 percent.
Watkins worked her career scoring total out past the 1,500-point mark with her 38 points, notching her 15th career double-double in adding 11 rebounds to go with eight booming blocks and five assists. Kiki Iriafen also got to double digits with 13 points on the night while adding three assists. UCLA was led by Lauren Betts' double-double on 18 points and 13 rebounds, joined in double figures by Kiki Rice's 15 points and 10 from Janiah Barker.
The Bruins were firing out of the gates in the second half, scoring 10 straight points to work into the lead and get out ahead 45-38 three minutes into the half. Kiki Iriafen broke up that rally with a successful trip to the line, and then Watkins made good on a three-point play to get USC back within two at 5:20. UCLA created some space again with five straight points, and USC was only able to land free throws down the stretch as the third closed with UCLA up 52-47. Watkins was the fuel for the Trojans to open there fourth, serving up an early assist to Kennedy Smith and then pumping in back-to-back buckets after stuffing three Bruin shots. Watkins' 34th points of the night had USC up 53-52 at 5:58. After a back-and-forth battle saw the lead trade hands, Avery Howell knocked down a clutch 3-pointer to light a fuse for USC. UCLA went cold from the floor for four and a half minutes, netting only free throws, while USC built out a double-digit lead. USC made a 12-1 rally that was topped off by a three-point play from Iriafen, and USC gripped a 67-57 advantage with 2:25 to go. The Trojans stayed the course down the stretch, with Iriafen striking again and von Oelhoffen draining two free throws before the Bruins broke their silence with a late bucket that wrapped the game as a 71-60 USC victory.
NEXT:
USC now heads to Seattle to visit Washington for a 4 p.m. contest on Sunday (Feb. 16).
NOTABLE:
- This is USC's first program win over an AP No. 1-ranked team since 1983 (last vs. Louisiana Tech [W, 69-67] in the national title game). USC is now 2-10 all-time against AP top-ranked opponents.
- With this win, USC snaps the Bruin's 23-0 win streak. The last time UCLA came to Galen, the Trojans snapped their 14-0 undefeated streak.
- The Trojans kept the Bruins to a season-low 60 points. They were averaging 80.6 points scored in a game, and allowing 54.7 points by opponents.
- USC held UCLA to a season-low 35.5% shooting percentage.
- This was the third game of the season between top-10 opponents at Galen Center (first was Nov. 23, 2024 vs. then-No. 6 Notre Dame, second was Feb. 8, 2025 vs. then No. 8 Ohio State).
- USC is now 4-1 vs. top-10 opponents this season.
- With 32 points at 6:23 in the fourth quarter, SO JuJu Watkins hit 1,500 career points.
- With 38 points, Watkins has scored in double figures in all 24 games this season.
- This is Watkins' 19th career 30-point game and fifth 30-point game this season.
- Watkins' 25 points in the first half was the most she scored in a first this season.
- Watkins is now at No. 13 all-time in scoring at USC with 1,507 career points.
- Also with 11 rebounds, Watkins recorded her sixth double-double this season and 15th as a Trojan.
- With 13 points tonight, GS Kiki Iriafen has scored in double digits in 23 of the 24 games she has played this season.
- With eight blocks tonight, Watkins has recorded a new career high. It ties the third-most in a game by a Trojan (last was SR Rayah Marshall against Washington on 11/22/23).
- With six 3-pointers made, Watkins has hit at least one three in USC's last 19 games. It ties the third-most threes made by a Trojan all time.
- With one 3-pointer tonight, GS Talia von Oelhoffen has hit at least one three in the last seven games.
- With two blocks tonight, Marshall has recorded at least one block in the last 21 games she has played (51 total in that span).
- With three steals, SR Clarice Akunwafo tied her career high.
- With two assists, Akunwafo tied her season high.
- With one steal tonight, FR Kennedy Smith has recorded at least one steal in 14 of 17 games played.
- USC's 22-2 start to the season is its best since the 1982-83 season.
- USC is now 20-0 when scoring 70 or more points and 19-0 when holding an opponent to under 70 points.
- USC is now 18-0 when holding an opponent to a field goal percentage lower than 40%.
- USC's 13 total blocks was a season high. It ties the third-most blocked shots by the Trojans in a game (last vs. California on 2/4/22), and the most since recording 14 blocks against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on 3/23/24.
Watkins delivered 25 of USC's 38 first-half points to help the Trojans lead the Bruins 38-35 at halftime. USC was shooting 38.2 percent overall but was a hot 7-of-11 from beyond the arc by the break. UCLA shots 44.4 percent overall in the first half and had hit one three. The Bruins were bigger on the boards, though, outrebounding USC 23-12 in those first 20 minutes of play. USC stayed largely even on the boards with UCLA in the second half, with the Bruins finishing with a 45-35 advantage, but UCLA went cold from the field during the fourth to see a seven-point lead melt away as USC outscored the Bruins 24-8 in the fourth to secure the upset win. USC wrapped the game shooting 33.3 percent overall while holding UCLA to a season-low 35.1 percent.
Watkins worked her career scoring total out past the 1,500-point mark with her 38 points, notching her 15th career double-double in adding 11 rebounds to go with eight booming blocks and five assists. Kiki Iriafen also got to double digits with 13 points on the night while adding three assists. UCLA was led by Lauren Betts' double-double on 18 points and 13 rebounds, joined in double figures by Kiki Rice's 15 points and 10 from Janiah Barker.
USC flexed some muscle from beyond the arc to open the first frame, with Talia von Oelhoffen opening the action with a 3-pointer. JuJu Watkins drained two of her own to help USC out to an 11-8 lead at 5:10. Her third long one came soon after and was followed by a gutsy finish from Kayleigh Heckel to net a 20-10 lead for USC at 3:55. UCLA carved into that lead with its first 3-pointer of the game and then a score down low, only to see Kennedy Smith step to the stripe for two tosses and then a buzzer-beating bucket falling for von Oelhoffen to take the Trojans to a 24-15 lead at the end of the first. It was all Watkins for USC in the second, as the sophomore nailed two more 3-pointers and had a fine finish on a jumper as USC maneuvered ahead 32-18 with 6:30 on the clock. Her 21st points of the night had USC up 34-21 a minute later. The Bruins found a groove, though, making a 14-1 scoring push to even things up. Watkins had the final word on the offensive end with her fifth 3-pointer to tug the Trojans ahead 38-35 in the final minute, and then the USC defense went to work and forced a shotclock violation out of the Bruins to keep that advantage on the board for halftime."We knew that we had to raise our level in order to beat them…We took the 'W' on this one, but back to work. That's the way it goes."@CoachLindsayG discusses @USCWBB's impressive performance with @keelyismyname after defeating No. 1 UCLA ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/gHnQ3Ky7My
— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) February 14, 2025
The Bruins were firing out of the gates in the second half, scoring 10 straight points to work into the lead and get out ahead 45-38 three minutes into the half. Kiki Iriafen broke up that rally with a successful trip to the line, and then Watkins made good on a three-point play to get USC back within two at 5:20. UCLA created some space again with five straight points, and USC was only able to land free throws down the stretch as the third closed with UCLA up 52-47. Watkins was the fuel for the Trojans to open there fourth, serving up an early assist to Kennedy Smith and then pumping in back-to-back buckets after stuffing three Bruin shots. Watkins' 34th points of the night had USC up 53-52 at 5:58. After a back-and-forth battle saw the lead trade hands, Avery Howell knocked down a clutch 3-pointer to light a fuse for USC. UCLA went cold from the floor for four and a half minutes, netting only free throws, while USC built out a double-digit lead. USC made a 12-1 rally that was topped off by a three-point play from Iriafen, and USC gripped a 67-57 advantage with 2:25 to go. The Trojans stayed the course down the stretch, with Iriafen striking again and von Oelhoffen draining two free throws before the Bruins broke their silence with a late bucket that wrapped the game as a 71-60 USC victory.
NEXT:
USC now heads to Seattle to visit Washington for a 4 p.m. contest on Sunday (Feb. 16).
NOTABLE:
- This is USC's first program win over an AP No. 1-ranked team since 1983 (last vs. Louisiana Tech [W, 69-67] in the national title game). USC is now 2-10 all-time against AP top-ranked opponents.
- With this win, USC snaps the Bruin's 23-0 win streak. The last time UCLA came to Galen, the Trojans snapped their 14-0 undefeated streak.
- The Trojans kept the Bruins to a season-low 60 points. They were averaging 80.6 points scored in a game, and allowing 54.7 points by opponents.
- USC held UCLA to a season-low 35.5% shooting percentage.
- This was the third game of the season between top-10 opponents at Galen Center (first was Nov. 23, 2024 vs. then-No. 6 Notre Dame, second was Feb. 8, 2025 vs. then No. 8 Ohio State).
- USC is now 4-1 vs. top-10 opponents this season.
- With 32 points at 6:23 in the fourth quarter, SO JuJu Watkins hit 1,500 career points.
- With 38 points, Watkins has scored in double figures in all 24 games this season.
- This is Watkins' 19th career 30-point game and fifth 30-point game this season.
- Watkins' 25 points in the first half was the most she scored in a first this season.
- Watkins is now at No. 13 all-time in scoring at USC with 1,507 career points.
- Also with 11 rebounds, Watkins recorded her sixth double-double this season and 15th as a Trojan.
- With 13 points tonight, GS Kiki Iriafen has scored in double digits in 23 of the 24 games she has played this season.
- With eight blocks tonight, Watkins has recorded a new career high. It ties the third-most in a game by a Trojan (last was SR Rayah Marshall against Washington on 11/22/23).
- With six 3-pointers made, Watkins has hit at least one three in USC's last 19 games. It ties the third-most threes made by a Trojan all time.
- With one 3-pointer tonight, GS Talia von Oelhoffen has hit at least one three in the last seven games.
- With two blocks tonight, Marshall has recorded at least one block in the last 21 games she has played (51 total in that span).
- With three steals, SR Clarice Akunwafo tied her career high.
- With two assists, Akunwafo tied her season high.
- With one steal tonight, FR Kennedy Smith has recorded at least one steal in 14 of 17 games played.
- USC's 22-2 start to the season is its best since the 1982-83 season.
- USC is now 20-0 when scoring 70 or more points and 19-0 when holding an opponent to under 70 points.
- USC is now 18-0 when holding an opponent to a field goal percentage lower than 40%.
- USC's 13 total blocks was a season high. It ties the third-most blocked shots by the Trojans in a game (last vs. California on 2/4/22), and the most since recording 14 blocks against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on 3/23/24.
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