For years, the UCLA-UCS girls’s rivalry has been a extremely anticipated matchup, however the stakes that encompass the model of this 12 months is completely different. The UCLA is unbeaten and the group n. 1 within the nation, led by the favourite of the nationwide participant Lauren Betts. USC is situated at 21-2 in complete and 11-1 in Big Ten Play. The Trojans have been managed all through the season because of the Superstar of consideration Juju Watkins.
When the Bruins go to the Trojans at 22:00 and Tuesday on the Galen Center, will probably be an area battle with nationwide implications.
“What fascinating to have earned the appropriate to have all basketball eyes on southern California,” mentioned the UCLA Cori Close coach when he spoke with the media on Wednesday.
Here are 5 on fireplace questions that head in direction of the again of the counts on Thursday:
1. Juju Watkins will come out of his collapse?
In the final six video games, the Trojan Superstar Guard has fought along with his shot. Although he nonetheless has a mean of 19.3 factors and 6.8 rebounds per sport on that part, Watkins shot solely 33% from the sphere and 22.9% from 3 factors.
“We aren’t any aspect with out her, and all of the elite skills he has,” mentioned Trojan Lindsay Gottlieb coach on Saturday. “I believe all of us consider it would discover a tempo.”
The UCLA has gained 22 consecutive two -digit video games, so its essential Watkins rediscovers the rhythm and has an environment friendly sport. It is a excessive process, nevertheless, because the Bruins grant solely 54.7 factors per sport, the minimal in Big Ten. Watkins must depend on his exterior shot whereas the presence of Betts within the paint will restrict his driving alternatives.
2. Can Lauren Betts reap the benefits of the highlight supplied to Juju Watkins?
Watkins is the best present within the circles of ladies’s school proper now. She and Trojans had been a part of the 2 most technological Fox girls’s basketball video games this season, a 72-70 victory over Uconn on December 21, 2024 and a lack of 76-69 in Iowa on February 2, 2025.
Betts didn’t obtain Watkins’s consideration this season. Therefore, enjoying in a sport in opposition to Watkins might assist her current it to the most important girls’s basketball viewers on the good second.
He is on her to maximise him.
“I’m so joyful to not have to guard her,” mentioned Betts’ teammate Gabriela Jaquez.
Instead, this can most likely fall on the shoulders of the previous teammate of Betts, the Trojan Kiki Iriafen striker. The two performed along with Stanford throughout the 2022-23 season earlier than Betts moved to the UCLA. Iriafen arrived on the Uss after enjoying the 2023-24 season in Stanford, however they didn’t face final 12 months whereas Betts misplaced the UCLA match in opposition to Stanford on February 4th as a result of “medical causes”.
Betts must overcome Iriafen’s familiarity along with his sport and present his expertise to a nationwide viewers.
3. The winner of this sport helps to consolidate the chief for the National Player of the Year prize?
Betts (+110) and Watkins (+220) are among the many first three nationwide candidates of the 12 months, in accordance with Draft Kings Sportsbook. Therefore, the results of this sport might do so much to find out the winner of the prize.
“There are nice gamers on the market – I’m clearly biased – however I actually assume it was essentially the most consistently affect participant on either side of the ball,” mentioned Close by Betts.
“We have the perfect submit participant within the nation,” mentioned Bruins Londynn Jones of Betts.
Betts is main the excessive -level group of the nation, with a mean of 19.6 factors and 9.7 rebounds per sport. Based on this with a powerful sport within the nationwide highlight might assist to extend its possibilities.
But if Watkins exhibits himself and Ucla delivers his first defeat of the season, the momentum might rapidly transfer in his course.
3
The UCLA leads the Big TEN in defenseing the scores, conserving opponents at solely 54.7 ppg, whereas the USC offense leads the convention in scoring with 83.2 ppg. Bruins interrupt the opponent’s crimes with annoying perimeter defenders who channe down Betts, a sturdy protector of the 6-foot and seven circle. The Trojans, alternatively, showcase an offense in skilled type, entrusted to pick-and-and Rolls, Drive-and-Kicks and common capability of Watkins.
A pressure, ultimately, will exceed the opposite.
“We know there shall be quite a lot of delight on the road,” mentioned Gottlieb on Saturday. “There shall be a excessive process in entrance of us and we all know that we are going to want everybody to do one thing onerous.”
5
With two of the primary 5 groups labeled within the nation, Los Angeles was on the epicenter of ladies’s school basketball this season. Both Close and Gottlieb embody the significance of rivalry, however in addition they put it apart to maximise their platforms.
“I believe it is implausible for the group,” Jaquez mentioned concerning the consideration of Thursday’s sport. “Super joyful that southern Californian girls’s basketball goes so nicely proper now.”
Close mentioned she and Gottlieb have “collaborated on a number of tasks” to extend the publicity of their packages. Having a nationwide viewers in an important sport will speed up solely that motion.
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