Los Angeles — The remarkable unbeaten streak for UCLA has come to an end.
On Thursday night, the top-ranked Bruins faced off against sixth-ranked USC and standout JuJu Watkins, resulting in a 71-60 defeat that concluded a school-record 23 consecutive victories to kick off the season. This loss marked the end of UCLA’s run as the last remaining undefeated women’s team in the country.
During their impressive journey, the Bruins notably defeated then-No. 1 South Carolina at Pauley Pavilion on November 24, which set off an impressive 12-week tenure at the top of the AP Top 25 rankings.
“It’s tough right now, but we can’t dwell on it forever,” somber Bruins player Kiki Rice stated after the game.
Currently, the Bruins, with a record of 23-1 and 11-1 in the Big Ten, have five regular-season games left. They are scheduled to host No. 22 Michigan State on Sunday and will see Watkins and the Trojans again on March 1. This upcoming matchup is particularly significant as it will be their only repeat opponent within league competition before they meet again in the Big Ten Tournament.
“I’m sure there will be a lot at stake in that game,” Rice, who contributed 15 points and six assists, said.
At the sold-out Galen Center, UCLA struggled to find their rhythm, only managing to score a season-low 60 points against USC—far below their average of 86.6 points per game. They shot a disappointing 35%, also a season low.
The fourth quarter proved particularly challenging for the Bruins, as they missed their first eight attempts and finished with only two successful shots out of 16 tried. USC outscored them 24-8 during this decisive period, closing the game with an 11-2 run over the final moments.
“We got outplayed and out-toughed in the fourth quarter,” Bruins head coach Cori Close observed. “We struggled to stay cohesive when the situation became difficult.”
Watkins truly shined in this game, scoring 38 points while pulling down 11 rebounds and achieving a career-high eight blocked shots for the Trojans (22-2, 12-1), who have now leapfrogged UCLA in the conference standings.
“The way she plays when she’s close to the basket makes her almost impossible to stop,” Close remarked. “When we failed to get rebounds and struggled to secure quality shots, it allowed them to head out in transition, making it difficult for us to set up our defense.”
Lauren Betts, who ranks as the Big Ten’s second-leading scorer just behind Watkins, led the Bruins with 18 points and 13 rebounds. USC’s 6-foot-6 Clarice Akunwafo provided exceptional defensive coverage against the 6-7 Betts, often forcing her into double- and triple-team situations.
“I need to improve across the board,” Betts admitted. “Towards the end, I ended up taking a lot of difficult shots.”
Taking advantage of Watkins’ energetic performance, USC surged to a 24-15 advantage after the first quarter. Her scoring spree continued into the second quarter, where she netted all of USC’s 14 points, including a three-pointer that extended their lead to 14 at one point. The halftime score stood at 38-35 in favor of USC.
The Bruins started strong in the third quarter, executing a 10-0 run, bolstered by Betts’ seven points. They limited USC to just nine points during the quarter and entered the final stretch leading 52-47.
However, after a slip by Watkins led to an easy basket for her, she quickly stole the ball and scored again on the following possession, invigorating the crowd.
UCLA struggled in the fourth quarter, failing to score any field goals and missing five of nine free-throw attempts.
As they look ahead, the Bruins will need to regroup with the postseason edging closer.
“There’s no time to feel sorry for ourselves,” Close noted. “As Coach Kay Yow famously said, you can dip your feet into the pity pond, but you can’t swim laps.”
