Ucla women's basketball dominates usc, secures undefeated big ten season
Charlisse Leger-Walker's 20 points fueled a decisive 73-50 victory for the UCLA Bruins over the USC Trojans on Sunday, completing an unprecedented undefeated regular season in the Big Ten for the program.
Bruins cement historic season with dominant performance
The Bruins (28-1, 18-0) replicated the Maryland Terrapins' 2014-15 feat, achieving an undefeated 18-0 conference record. UCLA clinched the outright Big Ten title last weekend with a win against Wisconsin. This victory comes after a period of impressive play, having not lost since a November 26th defeat to then-No. 4 Texas.
The selection committee's latest projection places UCLA as a top four No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, edging out undefeated UConn and South Carolina. Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens each contributed 14 points to the Bruins' offensive onslaught. Lauren Betts, despite a quiet scoring performance of five points, dominated the boards with 15 rebounds and five assists.
USC, struggling with a three-game losing streak, saw star JuJu Watkins watch from the sidelines as she continues her recovery from a torn ACL. A year prior, Watkins scored 30 points in a win against UCLA that secured the Big Ten regular-season title for the Trojans.
The game saw several shifts in momentum, including a brief third-quarter rally by USC that closed the gap to nine points. However, UCLA responded with strong runs, ultimately establishing a commanding lead. The Bruins’ dominance extended beyond scoring, controlling the boards 47-22 and forcing 15 turnovers that translated into 20 points.
With the Big Ten regular season concluded, UCLA, as the top seed, will face the winner of the USC-Washington game in the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. USC, seeded ninth, will compete against No. 8 Washington in the tournament.
This season’s success underscores the Bruins' sustained excellence and positions them as a formidable force in the NCAA Tournament. The team's ability to consistently execute and dominate both offensively and defensively makes them a clear favorite to make a deep run.