Once again, Juju Watkins shined on the court in spectacular fashion. She led USC to victory with an impressive 30-point performance, handing the Bruins their second loss with a decisive 80-67 win, surpassing the Big Ten regular-season title.
Watkins made 4 of 11 three-point attempts on her way to 30 points. The Trojans (26-2, 17-1 Big Ten) started strong, scoring the first nine points of the game. Additionally, her four three-pointers marked her third-highest total in a game this season.
A tough night for UCLA
UCLA (27-2, 16-2) struggled to contain Juju Watkins, who showcased her outstanding basketball skills by scoring a total of 38 points. As a result, the Trojans secured the win against the Bruins.
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From the beginning, UCLA found it difficult to neutralize Juju Watkins. In the third quarter, Rayah Marshall assisted Malia Samuels for an inside basket, ending a 16-5 UCLA run. On the next possession, Marshall stole the ball and set up Kiki Iriafen for a score. Moments later, Watkins capitalized on another steal for a fast-break layup. The quarter ended with Iriafen sinking a jump shot, completing a 9-0 USC run that extended their lead to 20 points.
Iriafen finished the game with 17 points, hitting 8 of 13 shots, while also grabbing nine rebounds. Marshall contributed six rebounds and five assists, while Watkins blocked three shots.
Kiki Rice led the Bruins with 16 points, but struggled with her shooting, making only 3 of 13 field goals and missing all three of her three-point attempts. Similarly, Londynn Jones scored just 12 points, shooting 2 of 8 from deep and 5 of 13 overall. Lauren Betts managed a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.