JuJu Watkins and No. 4 USC crush No. 2 UCLA to | College News

Roars rained down from every nook of Pauley Pavilion, each soul within the hallowed hoops enviornment realizing full effectively the result of the crosstown showdown and the convention title that got here with it rested squarely on her shoulders.

Some in cardinal and gold waited for deliverance, as if it was assured for USC.

Others in gentle blue prayed for divine intervention, realizing little else may save UCLA.

The feeling — of a entire enviornment hanging on her each transfer — is so acquainted to JuJu Watkins.

She has survived her share of crucibles already at USC. But by no means earlier than in her two sensational seasons had a convention title come connected.

It had been 31 years, in truth, since USC had earned a regular-season convention crown.

That championship, in 1994, arrived more than a decade earlier than Watkins was born.

No one, many years from now, would dare debate the imprint that Watkins made on this convention title for USC, its first within the Big Ten.

After a stellar 38-point efficiency of their memorable first assembly, Watkins poured in 30 more Saturday night time, as No. 4 USC rolled by No. 2 UCLA 80-67 to take home the title.

As the Trojans gathered close to heart courtroom after the ultimate buzzer, they exploded with jubilation. Kiki Iriafen lifted coach Lindsay Gottlieb into the air. Soon enough, a Big Ten trophy joined her.

The victory capped a near-perfect season for USC and Gottlieb, who inherited a program in need of a full rebuild simply a few years in the past.

The arrival of Watkins supercharged that course of. But Saturday’s second half was a reminder in regards to the significance of a robust supporting solid.

Iriafen scored 17 factors, whereas USC’s protection performed a main half in shutting down the Bruins’ main scorer, Lauren Betts, and discombobulating their offense.

UCLA did its best to climb back, slicing USC’s lead to simply 4 late within the third quarter, however the Trojans’ torrent proved an excessive amount of, as Watkins and Co. buried UCLA within the fourth.

Betts, a candidate for participant of the yr, as soon as again struggled to set up herself within the post the place she so usually has dominated. USC adopted the identical formulation that slowed her down when groups met Feb. 13, swarming the 6-foot-7 heart down low and forcing her to battle by contact.

Her frustration mounted. As the Trojans pummeled her within the paint, Betts was known as thrice for touring.

Without her at her best, there was little UCLA may do to stem the Trojans tide led by Watkins.

USC guard JuJu Watkins, left, blocks a shot by UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez during the primary half Saturday.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

Right away she regarded primed to decide up the place she left off of their first matchup, stepping up confidently to the three-point line on her first contact to hit from deep.

She solely picked up steam from there, scoring 13 within the first quarter to outpace her virtuoso efficiency in February’s win.

UCLA, by comparability, opened ice cold, lacking seven straight pictures. The Bruins shook off the droop, however Watkins refused to let up. When Iriafen, the Trojans’ second-leading scorer, drew a third foul early within the second quarter, USC’s star pushed the fuel pedal. Iriafen scored simply a single bucket within the first half, whereas Watkins exploded for 23.

She slowed down within the second. But by that time, a Big Ten title already was effectively in hand.