Thursday, February 13
Los Angeles, CA
7 p.m.
UCLA
at
No. 6 USC
Photo by: Ross Turteltaub
No. 1 Women’s Basketball Visits No. 6 USC Thursday
February 12, 2025 | Women's Basketball
LOS ANGELES – No. 1-ranked UCLA Women's Basketball (23-0, 11-0 B1G) heads across town to take on No. 6-ranked USC (21-2, 11-1 B1G) at Galen Center on Thursday.
UCLA faces the second-ranked team in the conference this week for the first of two rivalry meetings against the Trojans. Thursday's top 10 matchup will be broadcast to Peacock; UCLA has captured three top 10 wins and six total ranked wins on the season.
Thursday's tip is set for 7 p.m. PT.
The Trojans are 9-1 over their last 10 games, only dropping their match on the road at Iowa on Feb. 2 (L, 76-69) in front of a crowd of 14,998. USC scored a season-low four points in the first quarter. Sophomore JuJu Watkins leads both USC and the Big Ten in scoring, putting in 23.9 points per game to go with 2.2 steals and 1.7 blocks per game. Senior Kiki Iriafen has made an immediate impact out of the transfer portal, scoring 18.0 points and collecting 8.4 rebounds per game in her first season with the Trojans.
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Galen Center
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Tip-off Time: 7 p.m. PT
TV: Peacock
TV Talent: Zora Stephenson, Kim Adams, Katie Storm
Radio: UCLA Digital Radio
Radio Talent: Dave Marcus
MATCHUP HISTORY: vs. USC Trojans
• Thursday's game against the Trojans will be the 106th meeting in program history. UCLA leads the series 53-52.
• The Bruins are on a two-game losing streak against USC, including a double overtime loss against the Trojans in the 2024 Pac-12 semifinals. USC also holds a 30-18 advantage when hosting UCLA.
LAST TIME OUT: W, 62-52 at Oregon Ducks (Sunday, Feb. 9)
• No. 1 UCLA continued its winning ways despite offensive woes in Eugene, collecting win number 23 of the season.
• Junior Londynn Jones was the lone Bruin in double figures, scoring 21 points (5-7 3FG) in the road win.
• UCLA had a block party and the Ducks were invited; the Bruins sent back nine shots on Sunday (Lauren Betts: 3 BLK).
• The Bruin defense held Oregon to 26.6 FG%; Oregon shot 2-of-17 from 3-point range (16.7 3FG%). UCLA has held opponents to 5-of-35 (14.3% 3FG%) from long distance over the last two games.
WHAT'S BRUIN
• UCLA claims three of the top 25 rebounding spots in the new conference: L. Betts (4th - 9.7 RPG), J. Barker (22nd - 6.6 RPG), A. Dugalić (23rd - 6.4). The team ranks 4th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (45.0 RPG) and 1st in rebounding margin (+15.3) while leading the conference in all rebounding statistical categories.
• The Bruins have four players with 100+ rebounds on the season, all of whom are averaging 5+ RPG: Betts (204 REB), Barker (151 REB), Dugalić (134 REB) and Jaquez (5.1 RPG, 113 REB).
• UCLA is the only NCAA Division I program that remains undefeated after No. 5 LSU fell to No. 2 South Carolina on Jan. 24.
• The Bruins are among the top five in the Big Ten in assist/turnover ratio (2nd - 1.36), bench points (5th - 23.7 PPG), blocks (3rd - 5.3 BPG), scoring offense (3rd - 80.6 PPG) and scoring margin (2nd - +26.0).
• The Bruins have led wire-to-wire in 13 of the 23 matchups and have claimed five ranked wins this season. UCLA has never trailed by more than 5 points at the end of a quarter (2 vs. Penn State, 5 vs. Louisville to start the year)
• UCLA has 22-consecutive wins by a double-digit margin, the longest streak in program history. The previous record was 15 in the 1977-78 AIAW championship run. UCLA's previous-best win streak also came in the 1977-78 campaign (21 games).
I'LL HAVE THE NO. 1, PLEASE
• UCLA claimed the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll after defeating then-No. 1 South Carolina on Nov. 24. The Bruins have sat atop the AP poll for 12 weeks, setting the record for the longest streak at No. 1 for a Big Ten WBB program in conference history after nine weeks at the top spot.
• As a team, the Bruins rank No. 1 in the Big Ten in nine statistical categories: assists per game (21.1 APG), field goal percentage (.491 FG%), field goal percentage defense (.332 DFG%), rebound margin (+15.3), defensive rebounds (30.5 DRPG), offensive rebounds (14.5 ORPG), rebounds per game (45.0 RPG), scoring defense (54.7 OPPG) and three-point percentage defense (.272 3FG%). UCLA has only been outrebounded once this season (Dec. 8 at Washington, 32-30).
• The Bruins rank fourth in the nation in defensive field goal percentage - holding opponents to .332 FG% on the year - and first in rebounding margin. The Bruins have won all but one game by 10+ points this year (W, vs. No. 17 Louisville: 66-59).
• Betts leads the Big Ten in offensive boards per game (4.1), field goals made (178) and blocks (60, 2.9 BPG), and Rice has the best A/TO ratio in the league (2.35 A/TO).
CENTER COURT
• Lauren Betts is currently 2nd in the Big Ten in scoring (19.6 PPG); rival JuJu Watkins from USC sits atop the leaderboard with 23.9 PPG. The center is shooting .631 from the field (9th - NCAA, 3rd - B1G).
• The Bruin big is also a centerpiece to the UCLA defense and has 31 blocks over the last six games; Betts set the UCLA single-game blocks record with 9 against No. 25 Baylor on Monday, Jan. 20, at the Coretta Scott King Classic. She has 60 blocks through 21 appearances; Betts finished 2023-24 with 59 blocks in 29 games, which ranked third all-time for a Bruin in one season. Monique Billings holds the program record with 66 blocks in 2016-17 (34 GP).
• Betts has 12 double-doubles on the season; five of her last seven have been with 20+ points. The center has scored 20+ points in five of UCLA's last nine wins.
• The center averages 29.2 minutes per game, which ranks 32nd in the Big Ten. She ranks sixth in total points (412), fourth in rebounds (204), first in blocks (60) and in field goals made (178) in the conference.
• Betts surpassed 1,000 career points with her scoring outburst at No. 8 Maryland on Jan. 26. The center also had her highest scoring output for a half, racking up 24 points in the first 20 minutes against the Terps.
• The center showed offensive versatility by setting a new career-high in assists (11) vs. Minnesota, the most by a player 6-foot-7 or taller since 2002-03, according to Stathead's game log archive (previous: 9, Brittney Griner - 3/9/2013).
• Betts captured her 25th-career double-double against No. 8 Ohio State on Feb. 5 (19 PTS, 14 REB).
PLUG IN THE RICE COOKER
• Junior Kiki Rice has improved her shooting by nearly 11 percentage points since the end of last season (2023-24: .449 FG%, current: .553 FG%). Rice is also shooting at an improved clip from long distance, knocking down 17-of-45 attempts so far (.378 3FG%). The PG is UCLA's second-leading scorer (12.7 PPG), and would rank 4th in Big Ten in FG% (min. 5 FGM/G, Rice: 4.7 FGM/G). Rice has a pair of double-doubles this year (16 PTS, 10 AST vs. No. 24 Michigan; 10 PTS, 10 AST at Rutgers.)
• Rice had 10 assists and only one turnover against Rutgers on Jan. 23. Her 2.35 A/TO ratio has her first in the new league and ranks 34th in the NCAA. She's led the Bruins in assists in eight of her 20 appearances this season.
• The PG has improved her three-point shooting by a significant margin; she has surpassed her freshman totals from long distance and jumped 16 percentage points since her Bruin debut (current: .378 3FG%; 2022-23: .217 3FG%).
ALL GAS GABS
• Junior Gabriela Jaquez does not make mistakes. She has seven turnovers over the last 11 games, and only 20 turnovers in 22 games played. Jaquez has had multiple turnovers in just five games this season.
• Jaquez has also improved her efficiency on the offensive end; the junior is shooting .570 from the field (94-165 FG) and .333 from distance (17-51 3FG).
• The junior guard had a strong fourth quarter (11 PTS, 5-6 FG) to help close out the win against No. 8 Ohio State on Feb. 5.
THREE-POINT THREATS
• Juniors Londynn Jones and Timea Gardiner and grad student Angela Dugalić have helped the Bruins spread the floor when opposing teams send double and triple teams at Betts in the post.
• Jones, who set the UCLA single-season 3-point makes record in 2023-24 (87 3FGM), leads the Bruins with 48 makes from long range through 23 games. The junior has played 94-consecutive games in her career; she hasn't missed a contest yet. Jones is also shooting 48.3 percent from distance during Big Ten play (28-58 3FG in 11 GP).
• Gardiner started the year with a scorching performance in Paris, shooting 5-of-7 against then-No. 17 Louisville. She recorded a 7-for-12 shooting performance against Arkansas to set a new career-high in points (23) and 3FGM (7). The junior transfer is shooting .373 from 3-point land (37-102 3FG), trailing Rice (.378) and Jones (.375).
• Dugalić is shooting .347 from distance (17-49 3FG), providing a long-range threat as a stretch four.
THEY'RE FREE!
• Timea Gardiner leads the Bruins in free throw percentage (.882 FT%), but she's joined by four additional Bruins shooting 80 percent or better at the charity stripe.
• Kiki Rice has shot 88.9 percent from the free throw line (32-36) in conference play, .857 on the year.
• Jaquez (.875 FT%), Dugalić (.870 FT%) and Elina Aarnisalo (.824, 14-17) are all in the eighties at the line.
AN INDEX OF ROLEXES, THAT'S A WATCH LIST
• Five Bruins were named on four different Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame positional player of the year preseason watchlists.
• Kiki Rice and Charlisse Leger-Walker were announced as two of the top 20 on the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award watch list. Rice was named a Top 10 Finalist on Feb. 3.
• Angela Dugalić was named to the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award Preseason Watchlist.
• Transfer Janiah Barker made the cut for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award preseason watchlist.
• Junior center Lauren Betts is a Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award Finalist (Feb. 7).
• Betts, Leger-Walker and Rice were also named to the 2024 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's Player of the Year Watch List on Oct. 28; that trio was again named to the John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Watch List on Nov. 7. Betts and Rice were included on the Midseason Team (Top 30) on Feb. 12.
• The center was also named to the John R. Wooden Award Top 25 Midseason Watch List on Jan. 7, and again to the Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List (Feb. 11).
• Betts made the cut for the Wade Trophy Watch List and the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Top 50.
UCLA faces the second-ranked team in the conference this week for the first of two rivalry meetings against the Trojans. Thursday's top 10 matchup will be broadcast to Peacock; UCLA has captured three top 10 wins and six total ranked wins on the season.
Thursday's tip is set for 7 p.m. PT.
The Trojans are 9-1 over their last 10 games, only dropping their match on the road at Iowa on Feb. 2 (L, 76-69) in front of a crowd of 14,998. USC scored a season-low four points in the first quarter. Sophomore JuJu Watkins leads both USC and the Big Ten in scoring, putting in 23.9 points per game to go with 2.2 steals and 1.7 blocks per game. Senior Kiki Iriafen has made an immediate impact out of the transfer portal, scoring 18.0 points and collecting 8.4 rebounds per game in her first season with the Trojans.
GAME INFORMATION
Venue: Galen Center
Location: Los Angeles, Calif.
Tip-off Time: 7 p.m. PT
TV: Peacock
TV Talent: Zora Stephenson, Kim Adams, Katie Storm
Radio: UCLA Digital Radio
Radio Talent: Dave Marcus
MATCHUP HISTORY: vs. USC Trojans
• Thursday's game against the Trojans will be the 106th meeting in program history. UCLA leads the series 53-52.
• The Bruins are on a two-game losing streak against USC, including a double overtime loss against the Trojans in the 2024 Pac-12 semifinals. USC also holds a 30-18 advantage when hosting UCLA.
LAST TIME OUT: W, 62-52 at Oregon Ducks (Sunday, Feb. 9)
• No. 1 UCLA continued its winning ways despite offensive woes in Eugene, collecting win number 23 of the season.
• Junior Londynn Jones was the lone Bruin in double figures, scoring 21 points (5-7 3FG) in the road win.
• UCLA had a block party and the Ducks were invited; the Bruins sent back nine shots on Sunday (Lauren Betts: 3 BLK).
• The Bruin defense held Oregon to 26.6 FG%; Oregon shot 2-of-17 from 3-point range (16.7 3FG%). UCLA has held opponents to 5-of-35 (14.3% 3FG%) from long distance over the last two games.
WHAT'S BRUIN
• UCLA claims three of the top 25 rebounding spots in the new conference: L. Betts (4th - 9.7 RPG), J. Barker (22nd - 6.6 RPG), A. Dugalić (23rd - 6.4). The team ranks 4th in the NCAA in rebounds per game (45.0 RPG) and 1st in rebounding margin (+15.3) while leading the conference in all rebounding statistical categories.
• The Bruins have four players with 100+ rebounds on the season, all of whom are averaging 5+ RPG: Betts (204 REB), Barker (151 REB), Dugalić (134 REB) and Jaquez (5.1 RPG, 113 REB).
• UCLA is the only NCAA Division I program that remains undefeated after No. 5 LSU fell to No. 2 South Carolina on Jan. 24.
• The Bruins are among the top five in the Big Ten in assist/turnover ratio (2nd - 1.36), bench points (5th - 23.7 PPG), blocks (3rd - 5.3 BPG), scoring offense (3rd - 80.6 PPG) and scoring margin (2nd - +26.0).
• The Bruins have led wire-to-wire in 13 of the 23 matchups and have claimed five ranked wins this season. UCLA has never trailed by more than 5 points at the end of a quarter (2 vs. Penn State, 5 vs. Louisville to start the year)
• UCLA has 22-consecutive wins by a double-digit margin, the longest streak in program history. The previous record was 15 in the 1977-78 AIAW championship run. UCLA's previous-best win streak also came in the 1977-78 campaign (21 games).
I'LL HAVE THE NO. 1, PLEASE
• UCLA claimed the No. 1 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll after defeating then-No. 1 South Carolina on Nov. 24. The Bruins have sat atop the AP poll for 12 weeks, setting the record for the longest streak at No. 1 for a Big Ten WBB program in conference history after nine weeks at the top spot.
• As a team, the Bruins rank No. 1 in the Big Ten in nine statistical categories: assists per game (21.1 APG), field goal percentage (.491 FG%), field goal percentage defense (.332 DFG%), rebound margin (+15.3), defensive rebounds (30.5 DRPG), offensive rebounds (14.5 ORPG), rebounds per game (45.0 RPG), scoring defense (54.7 OPPG) and three-point percentage defense (.272 3FG%). UCLA has only been outrebounded once this season (Dec. 8 at Washington, 32-30).
• The Bruins rank fourth in the nation in defensive field goal percentage - holding opponents to .332 FG% on the year - and first in rebounding margin. The Bruins have won all but one game by 10+ points this year (W, vs. No. 17 Louisville: 66-59).
• Betts leads the Big Ten in offensive boards per game (4.1), field goals made (178) and blocks (60, 2.9 BPG), and Rice has the best A/TO ratio in the league (2.35 A/TO).
CENTER COURT
• Lauren Betts is currently 2nd in the Big Ten in scoring (19.6 PPG); rival JuJu Watkins from USC sits atop the leaderboard with 23.9 PPG. The center is shooting .631 from the field (9th - NCAA, 3rd - B1G).
• The Bruin big is also a centerpiece to the UCLA defense and has 31 blocks over the last six games; Betts set the UCLA single-game blocks record with 9 against No. 25 Baylor on Monday, Jan. 20, at the Coretta Scott King Classic. She has 60 blocks through 21 appearances; Betts finished 2023-24 with 59 blocks in 29 games, which ranked third all-time for a Bruin in one season. Monique Billings holds the program record with 66 blocks in 2016-17 (34 GP).
• Betts has 12 double-doubles on the season; five of her last seven have been with 20+ points. The center has scored 20+ points in five of UCLA's last nine wins.
• The center averages 29.2 minutes per game, which ranks 32nd in the Big Ten. She ranks sixth in total points (412), fourth in rebounds (204), first in blocks (60) and in field goals made (178) in the conference.
• Betts surpassed 1,000 career points with her scoring outburst at No. 8 Maryland on Jan. 26. The center also had her highest scoring output for a half, racking up 24 points in the first 20 minutes against the Terps.
• The center showed offensive versatility by setting a new career-high in assists (11) vs. Minnesota, the most by a player 6-foot-7 or taller since 2002-03, according to Stathead's game log archive (previous: 9, Brittney Griner - 3/9/2013).
• Betts captured her 25th-career double-double against No. 8 Ohio State on Feb. 5 (19 PTS, 14 REB).
PLUG IN THE RICE COOKER
• Junior Kiki Rice has improved her shooting by nearly 11 percentage points since the end of last season (2023-24: .449 FG%, current: .553 FG%). Rice is also shooting at an improved clip from long distance, knocking down 17-of-45 attempts so far (.378 3FG%). The PG is UCLA's second-leading scorer (12.7 PPG), and would rank 4th in Big Ten in FG% (min. 5 FGM/G, Rice: 4.7 FGM/G). Rice has a pair of double-doubles this year (16 PTS, 10 AST vs. No. 24 Michigan; 10 PTS, 10 AST at Rutgers.)
• Rice had 10 assists and only one turnover against Rutgers on Jan. 23. Her 2.35 A/TO ratio has her first in the new league and ranks 34th in the NCAA. She's led the Bruins in assists in eight of her 20 appearances this season.
• The PG has improved her three-point shooting by a significant margin; she has surpassed her freshman totals from long distance and jumped 16 percentage points since her Bruin debut (current: .378 3FG%; 2022-23: .217 3FG%).
ALL GAS GABS
• Junior Gabriela Jaquez does not make mistakes. She has seven turnovers over the last 11 games, and only 20 turnovers in 22 games played. Jaquez has had multiple turnovers in just five games this season.
• Jaquez has also improved her efficiency on the offensive end; the junior is shooting .570 from the field (94-165 FG) and .333 from distance (17-51 3FG).
• The junior guard had a strong fourth quarter (11 PTS, 5-6 FG) to help close out the win against No. 8 Ohio State on Feb. 5.
THREE-POINT THREATS
• Juniors Londynn Jones and Timea Gardiner and grad student Angela Dugalić have helped the Bruins spread the floor when opposing teams send double and triple teams at Betts in the post.
• Jones, who set the UCLA single-season 3-point makes record in 2023-24 (87 3FGM), leads the Bruins with 48 makes from long range through 23 games. The junior has played 94-consecutive games in her career; she hasn't missed a contest yet. Jones is also shooting 48.3 percent from distance during Big Ten play (28-58 3FG in 11 GP).
• Gardiner started the year with a scorching performance in Paris, shooting 5-of-7 against then-No. 17 Louisville. She recorded a 7-for-12 shooting performance against Arkansas to set a new career-high in points (23) and 3FGM (7). The junior transfer is shooting .373 from 3-point land (37-102 3FG), trailing Rice (.378) and Jones (.375).
• Dugalić is shooting .347 from distance (17-49 3FG), providing a long-range threat as a stretch four.
THEY'RE FREE!
• Timea Gardiner leads the Bruins in free throw percentage (.882 FT%), but she's joined by four additional Bruins shooting 80 percent or better at the charity stripe.
• Kiki Rice has shot 88.9 percent from the free throw line (32-36) in conference play, .857 on the year.
• Jaquez (.875 FT%), Dugalić (.870 FT%) and Elina Aarnisalo (.824, 14-17) are all in the eighties at the line.
AN INDEX OF ROLEXES, THAT'S A WATCH LIST
• Five Bruins were named on four different Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame positional player of the year preseason watchlists.
• Kiki Rice and Charlisse Leger-Walker were announced as two of the top 20 on the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award watch list. Rice was named a Top 10 Finalist on Feb. 3.
• Angela Dugalić was named to the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Award Preseason Watchlist.
• Transfer Janiah Barker made the cut for the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award preseason watchlist.
• Junior center Lauren Betts is a Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award Finalist (Feb. 7).
• Betts, Leger-Walker and Rice were also named to the 2024 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's Player of the Year Watch List on Oct. 28; that trio was again named to the John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Watch List on Nov. 7. Betts and Rice were included on the Midseason Team (Top 30) on Feb. 12.
• The center was also named to the John R. Wooden Award Top 25 Midseason Watch List on Jan. 7, and again to the Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List (Feb. 11).
• Betts made the cut for the Wade Trophy Watch List and the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Top 50.
Players Mentioned
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