Friday, February 2
Los Angeles, Calif.
8:00 PM
UCLA
vs
USC
The Bruins swept USC last year but trail in the overall series, 48-40.
Photo by: Bailey Holiver
No. 9 UCLA Hosts Rival USC on Friday
January 31, 2018 | Women's Basketball
The Bruins and the Trojans square off on Feb. 2 at 8:06 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Networks and AM 1150.
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LOS ANGELES – No. 9 UCLA (17-4, 8-2) hosts crosstown rival USC (15-6, 5-5) in the first of two straight games against the Trojans on Friday, Feb. 2, 2018. The game is slated for an 8:06 p.m. PT/11:06 p.m. ET tip-off live on the Pac-12 Network with Anne Marie Anderson (play-by-play) and Rosalyn Gold-Onwude (analyst) calling all of the exciting action. Additionally, this is the first of four games the UCLA Bruins will have on the radio at KEIB AM-1150 with Dave Marcus (play-by-play) on the call.
GAME INFORMATION
Opponent: USC (15-6, 5-5)
Series: USC leads 48-40 (W, 71-67 at UCLA (Jan. 22, 2017))
Venue (Capacity): Pauley Pavilion (13,800)
Date: Friday, Feb. 2, 2018
Tipoff Time: 8:06 p.m. (PT)/11:06 p.m. ET
TV: Pac-12 Network
Talent: Anne Marie Anderson (play-by-play), Rosalyn Gold-Onwude (analyst)
Radio: KEIB AM-1150
Talent: Dave Marcus (play-by-play)
SERIES HISTORY VS. USC
This is the 89th meeting between USC and UCLA with the Trojans holding a 48-40 lead in the series. UCLA has won five of the last six overall meetings, including a sweep of last year's meetings. The Bruins went to Galen Center and posted a 74-59 win on Jan. 18, 2017 and four days later, held off the Trojans in Pauley Pavilion for a 71-67 victory. In that game, UCLA benefited from USC's 19 turnovers. Jordin Canada and Kennedy Burke each scored 23 points for the Bruins (Burke tied a career-high in scoring and rebounding with nine) while Monique Billings had her 12th double-double of the season, fittingly with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Courtney Jaco led USC with 18 points (5-of-8 from three-point range), and Kristen Simon added 16 points and eight rebounds. Aliyah Mazyck added 14 points on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
NCAA SEEDING REVEAL
The NCAA will have its second top-16 reveal this week on Thursday, Feb. 1. In the first reveal on Jan. 18, Oregon and UCLA were the Pac-12 teams among the top 16. The Ducks were No. 4, which would have indicated one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, and UCLA was the No. 12 seed overall, which would have been the final three-seed. Two other top-16 reveals are scheduled this season to take place on Thursday, February 1 and the fnal reveal on Monday, February 19, during ESPN2's Big Monday/Play4Kay tripleheader that includes Florida State at Duke (6 p.m.), Baylor at Texas (8 p.m. ET) and UCLA at Oregon (10 p.m. ET).
PAC-12 IN THE RPI
Five Pac-12 teams have RPI in the top 35, as of Jan. 30, 2018. Leading the way is Oregon (No. 4) followed by UCLA (No. 8), Stanford (No. 27), Arizona State (No. 29) and California (No. 33).
CANADA MAKING HISTORY
UCLA's Jordin Canada became the first woman in Pac-12 history to score 1,800 points and dish out 700 assists (UCLA record) three weeks ago at Utah and Colorado (Jan. 12 & 14). She is in exclusive company in all of Pac-12 basketball as well, joining Gary Payton (2,172 points, 938 assists, Oregon State, 1987-90) on the men's side as the only two players to accomplish the feat. She currently ranks 26th all-time in the Pac-12 in career points (1,885). Canada also ranks third all-time in Pac-12 history in career assists (716). Threatening the career assists mark that has stood since 1990-91, she needs just 41 more to match the record. She also ranks fifth in Pac-12 history with 303 steals and became just the fifth player in the Pac-12 to reach 300 at Washington with two steals.
TOP BILLINGS
UCLA's Monique Billings became the third woman in UCLA history and the 14th in Pac-12 history to score 1,500 points and grab 1,000 rebounds in a career in the win over Stanford (Jan. 21). She now has 1,532 points to rank 17th at UCLA and 57th in the Pac-12. She also has 1,027 boards, which ranks third at UCLA and 16th in the Pac-12. Billings, the UCLA all-time leader in blocks (205) just passed Oregon State's Brina Chaney last week for 8th all-time in Pac-12 history.
CANADA AMONG NATION'S BEST
Senior point guard Jordin Canada is listed on many statistical charts among the nation's active players in the NCAA for the 2017-18 season. She is currently 2nd in assists (716), 4th in triple doubles (2), 5th in assists per game (5.82 apg), 5th in steals (303), 6th in free throws made (448), 10th in steals per game (2.46 spg), 11th in field goal attempts (1,642), 12th in free throw attempts (567), 15th in scoring (1,885 points), 16th in field goals made (681) and 35th in free throw percentage (79.0%).
BILLINGS AMONG NATION'S BEST
Senior forward Monique Billings is also listed on many statistical charts among the nation's active players in the NCAA for the 2017-18 season. She is currently 4th in rebounding (1,027), 8th in free throw attempts (589), 8th in double-doubles (39), 9th in games played (127), 13th in blocks (205), 23rd in free throws made (372), 40th in scoring (1,532 points) and 43rd in field goals made (580).
DRUMMER DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Redshirt junior forward Lajahna Drummer has been a rebounding force in each of her last four games, grabbing at least seven boards in each of those contests for an average of 10.0 rebounds per game. In her last game, she had a career-high-tying 14 boards in a win at Washington State (Jan. 28) and scored 10 points for the second double-double of her career. She has recorded double-digit rebounding nights four times this year and 10 times in her career.
ONYENWERE ON OFFENSIVE GLASS
Freshman forward Michaela Onyenwere is the only player averaging more than three minutes per game on the UCLA roster with more offensive rebounds (53) than defensive boards (47). Her 53 offensive rebounds is second on the team and her 2.5 orpg ranks ninth in the Pac-12. She also ranks 10th in the league in field goal percentage (.492), which is second on the team. She has also shown the ability to register steals, recording 1.4 per game, which ranks third on the squad and 16th in the league.
BURKE IS A BALLER
Junior guard Kennedy Burke is one of only two players ranked in the Pac-12 in the top 12 in both steals and blocks. She averages 2.0 steals per game which is second on the team and fourth in the Pac-12. She also averages 1.0 blocks per game, which is also second on the squad and tied for 12th in the league. She is joined by Arizona freshman Sam Thomas, who is 7th in blocks (1.5 bpg) and tied for 11th in steals (1.6 spg). Burke also ranks third on the team and 26th in the Pac-12 in scoring (10.8 ppg).
HAYES FOR THREE
Senior guard Kelli Hayes entered her senior season shooting 23.0 percent (17-for-74) from three-point range. This season, it has become a strength, as she has already made more threes this year than in the previous three combined, going 30-for-84 for 35.7 percent. The number of three-point field goals made and attempted by Hayes this season are tops on the squad.
ON THE DEAN'S LIST
Junior guard Japreece Dean missed the first nine games of the year due to NCAA transfer rules, but she is quickly making up for lost time. She is already third on the team in both three-point field goals made (23) and attempted (62). Her 2.1 three-point field goals made per game in Pac-12 play leads the team and ranks fifth in the league. Her 37.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc ranks third on the team, but would be outside the top 15 in the Pac-12 if she had enough games.
IT'S MILLER TIME
Freshman forward Lauryn Miller leads the squad in field goal percentage at 59.5 percent (22-for-37) on the season. The number of makes don't qualify her for the Pac-12 or NCAA rankings, but she has shown signs of brilliance in her first collegiate campaign, logging five perfect games without a miss from the field.
BIG MACS ON CAMPUS
UCLA's roster features a school-record five McDonald's All-Americans in 2017-18 as freshman forward Michaela Onyenwere (2017) joins redshirt freshman guard Lindsey Corsaro (2016), junior forward Ashley Hearn (2015), redshirt junior forward Lajahna Drummer (2014) and senior point guard Jordin Canada (2014) as current Bruins that have played in the McDonald's All-American Game.
CANADA NAMED TOP 10 CANDIDATE FOR 2018 NANCY LIEBERMAN AWARD
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced the 10 candidates for the 2018 Nancy Lieberman Award on Jan. 29 and UCLA senior point guard Jordin Canada has made the list. Now in its 19th year, the award recognizes the top point guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. Candidates exhibit the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills of 1996 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Nancy Lieberman. The Selection Committee for the Nancy Lieberman Award is composed of top women's college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Lieberman and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. Fans will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalists to determine the Naismith Starting 5. The winner of the 2018 Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award will be announced during ESPN2's telecast of the national semifinal games in the 2018 NCAA Women's Final Four in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, March 30.
TWO BRUINS NAMED TO JOHN R. WOODEN AWARD MIDSEASON TOP 25
The Los Angeles Athletic Club announced its John R. Wooden Award® presented by Wendy's® Midseason Top 25 on espnW.com (Jan. 11). Chosen by a poll of national college basketball experts based on their performances during the first half of the 2017-18 season, the list comprises of 25 student-athletes who are front-runners for the sport's most prestigious honor. UCLA seniors Jordin Canada and Monique Billings have both made the Top 25. On the 2018 Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 list, three players debut on the Wooden Watch™ after not being named on the Preseason Top 30: Chennedy Carter of Texas A&M, Megan Gustafson of Iowa, and Teaira McCowan of Mississippi State. Five schools have multiple players on the list, led by Connecticut with four selections (Napheesa Collier, Kia Nurse, Katie Lou Samuelson, and Gabby Williams), followed by four schools with two selections each: Mississippi State (McCowan and Victoria Vivians), Tennessee (Jaime Nared and Mercedes Russell), Texas (Ariel Atkins and Brooke McCarty), and UCLA (Billings and Canada). Following a recent trend, 23 of the 25 student-athletes on the Midseason Top 25 are upperclassmen, including 14 seniors. The SEC leads all conferences with seven selections on the Midseason Top 25, followed by the ACC, Pac-12, and The American with four selections apiece, and the Big 12 and Big Ten with three each.
TWO BRUINS NAMED TO WOMEN'S CITIZEN NAISMITH TROPHY WATCH LIST
To continue its momentum into the 50th celebration season of the Citizen Naismith Trophy, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced 50 women's college basketball players to watch for the Citizen Naismith Player of the Year Trophy. A list of the midseason 30 team will be released on Feb. 12, 2018. UCLA seniors Jordin Canada and Monique Billings were each selected and were two of seven players from the Pac-12 Conference also on the watch list. With nine different conferences represented on the list, the players come from across the country. A total of 10 candidates represent the ACC, and the SEC follows closely with nine players on the Watch List. UConn, which has won more Citizen Naismith Trophies (10) than any other school, leads the Watch List with six players, followed by Notre Dame with four candidates and Ohio State and Mississippi State with three candidates apiece. Players who do not make the Watch List are still eligible to be selected for the midseason 30 list.
SCORING RECORDS FALL
UCLA scored a school-record 129 points in its 60-point (129-69) season-opening home win over San José State on Nov. 10. The Bruins snapped a record that was set 47 years ago and then equalled 42 years ago, bettering the previous mark of 125 set in 1971 (against Utah State) and 1976 (against Oregon State). Freshman guard Kayla Owens made a 3-pointer to put UCLA over the 125-point mark with 1:21 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Bruins opened with 38 points in the first quarter (38-26), which was the most points scored by UCLA since the NCAA switched to quarters two full seasons ago (2015-16).
BILLINGS NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK (JAN. 22)
UCLA senior forward Monique Billings (Corona, Calif.) was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week as announced by the league office. Billings led UCLA to another 2-0 week with a 60-52 win over then-No. 21 California on Friday (Jan. 19) and a 64-53 victory over Stanford on Sunday (Jan. 21) to move into a tie for second place in the Pac-12. She averaged a double-double on the week at 16.0 points and 13.0 rebounds and also added 2.5 blocks, 1.5 steals and 1.0 assists per game. The Pac-12 rebounding leader hauled in 18 boards in the win over California, a season-high and third-best in her career (had 25 in a win over Washington State last year and 22 in a loss at then-No. 2 South Carolina. She became only the third player in UCLA history and the 14th in the Pac-12 to score over 1,500 points and grab over 1,000 rebounds against the Cardinal. Billings also became the 21st player in Pac-12 history to reach the 1,000-rebound plateau. She now has 1,507 points and 1,004 rebounds. This is the third career weekly honor for Billings and the 57th for UCLA.
ONYENWERE NAMED PAC-12 FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK (JAN. 15)
UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week as announced by the league office. Onyenwere averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in two road wins on the week. She also averaged 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 83.3 percent (5-of-6) from the free-throw line and 46.4 percent from the field (13-of-28). She registered career-highs in points (20) and rebounds (11) in the win at Utah, 81-74 on Friday, Jan. 12. She ten had 11 points and nine rebounds in the win at Colorado, 93-55 on Sunday, Jan. 14, as UCLA got its first road sweep of the season. This is the seventh freshman honor for UCLA all-time, the first of the 2017-18 season and the first for Onyenwere.
CANADA NAMED PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK (NOV. 20)
In a vote by the Pac-12 media, UCLA senior point guard Jordin Canada (Los Angeles, Calif.) was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week as announced by the league office. In the Bruins' only game of the week, she recorded her second double-double of the year in leading UCLA to an 82-68 win over No. 3 Baylor. She scored 20 points and added 13 assists while shooting 50 percent from three-point range (3-for-6) against the Bears. The 13 assists were tied for the 8th-most in UCLA history. The win was UCLA's 32nd-straight home victory (second longest in the country to UConn) and the 10th-straight home win over a ranked team. It also marked UCLA's first win over a top-three opponent since beating No. 2 Stanford on Jan. 4, 2008. This marks the 55th all-time selection for UCLA and second-career weekly honor for Canada.
JOHN R. WOODEN AWARD MIDSEASON WATCH LIST
The John R. Wooden Award® presented by Wendy's® announced the Women's Midseason Top 25 on ESPN's SportsCenter and espnW and UCLA senior point guard Jordin Canada and senior forward Monique Billings have made the list. The list is comprised of 25 student-athletes who are the front-runners for college basketball's most prestigious honor based on their performances at this point of the season. The list is chosen by a poll of national women's college basketball media members.
JOHN R. WOODEN AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
The John R. Wooden Award® presented by Wendy's® announced the Women's Preseason Top 30 on ESPN's SportsCenter and espnW and UCLA senior point guard Jordin Canada and senior forward Monique Billings have made the list. The list is comprised of 30 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for college basketball's most prestigious honor. The list is chosen by a preseason poll of national women's college basketball media members.
NANCY LIEBERMAN AWARD TOP 20 WATCH LIST
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Nov. 6, 2017 the 20 watch list candidates for the 2018 Nancy Lieberman Award and UCLA senior Jordin Canada was on the list. Now in its nineteenth year, the award recognizes the top point guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. Candidates exhibit the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills of Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman.
ANN MEYERS DRYSDALE AWARD TOP 20 WATCH LIST
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Nov. 7, 2017 the 20 watch list candidates for the 2018 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award and UCLA junior guard Kennedy Burke was on the list. Named after the first player, male or female, named to the All-America Team in four straight college seasons, the annual award in its inaugural year recognizes the top shooting guard in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
CHERYL MILLER AWARD TOP 20 WATCH LIST
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced on Nov. 8, 2017 the 20 watch list candidates for the 2018 Cheryl Miller Award and UCLA's Kennedy Burke was on the list. Named after the three-time Naismith Player of the Year, the annual award in its inaugural year recognizes the top small forwards in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
LISA LESLIE AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced on Nov. 10, 2017 the 20 watch list candidates for the 2018 Lisa Leslie Award and UCLA senior Monique Billings was on the list. Named after the three-time All-American and 1994 National Player of the Year, the annual award in its inaugural year recognizes the top centers in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.
PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Senior point guard Jordin Canada was a first team preseason All-American by Street & Smith's, a second team All-American by Athlon Sports and a third team All-American by Lindy's Sports. Senior forward Monique Billings was a second team All-American by Street & Smith's.
PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12
Senior point guard Jordin Canada and senior forward Monique Billings were both named preseason All-Pac-12 in a vote by the league's media.
PRESEASON PROJECTIONS
For the second-consecutive year, UCLA was voted first in the Pac-12 Women's Basketball Coaches Poll and the Pac-12 Media Poll. The Bruins collected 115 points and seven first-place votes to earn the top spot ahead of Oregon and Stanford who tied for second place with 108 points each in the Coaches Poll. The Bruins received 14 first-place votes and 242 points to finish ahead of Oregon in the Media Poll. The Pac-12 is coming off another historic season where a league-record seven teams earned NCAA Tournament bids in 2016-17. Both polls were identical with Stanford being picked third or tied for second and Oregon State (4th) and California (5th) rounding out the top five. Arizona State was projected to finish sixth with Washington State, USC and Utah right behind. In 10th was Colorado while Arizona and Washington were picked to claim the last two spots.
BRUINS IN THE POLLS
UCLA enters the 13th week of the 2017-18 season ranked at No. 9 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll with 522 points and at No. 9 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll with 530 points. The Bruins have now been ranked for 48 straight weeks in the AP Poll (dates back to week 4, Nov. 30, 2015) and for 44 consecutive weeks in the USA Today Poll (dates back to week 9, Jan. 4, 2016). The Bruins' 2017-18 ranked opponents are in bold in both polls to the left.
POLLING THE BRUINS
In addition to picking up a preseason ranking of 8th in the Associated Press Poll (second straight year in the top 10) and 7th in the USA Today Coaches Poll, the Bruins were ranked 5th by Athlon Sports, 5th by Street & Smith's and 7th by Lindy's Sports.
DOUBLE TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Senior Jordin Canada recorded the second triple-double of her career and the seventh in UCLA history with 26 points, 11 steals and 10 assists in the win over San José State (Nov. 10). It marked the third time in UCLA history that a triple-double was recorded with points, assists and steals and the first time it was achieved in a season opener. She joins Ann Meyers as the only Bruins to record two triple-doubles. It also marked the 31st triple-double in the history of the Pac-12 Conference.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE RECORD
In the 129-69 season-opening win over San José State (Nov. 10), UCLA had four players record double-doubles, a UCLA record. In addition to Jordin Canada's triple-double (26 points, 11 steals, 10 points), Monique Billings had 19 points and 11 rebounds, Michaela Onyenwere had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Kennedy Burke added 13 points and 13 rebounds.
BILLINGS ON THE BLOCK
UCLA senior forward Monique Billings took over the top spot on the UCLA career lists for blocks with three in the win over #3 Baylor (Nov. 18). She now has 205 for a career average of 1.6 bpg (127 games).
CANADA WITH THE ASSIST
UCLA senior point guard Jordin Canada moved into the top spot in UCLA career assists with 11 in the blowout win at Colorado (Jan. 14). She now has 716 for a career average of 5.8 apg (123 games).
BRUINS NEARLY BREAK ATTENDANCE RECORD
The UCLA Bruins came within 268 people of breaking the UCLA all-time women's basketball single-game attendance record against No. 1 UConn on Nov. 21, 2017 when 9,263 people witnessed the battle of top five teams in Pauley Pavilion. It was the third-highest attended game behind the Jan. 23, 1999 game against USC (9,530) and the AIAW Tournament game against Maryland on March 25, 1978 (9,351).
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