USC vs. UCLA: Who Will Win the Battle Over LA?
The undefeated UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team will play at USC tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. PST. This is the first time the two powerhouse LA teams will face off this season, and it is a unique year, as both teams have garnered record attention with the rise of popularity in women’s basketball. The Bruins are currently ranked first with a 23-0 record, while the Trojans trail at sixth with a 21-2 record. Key players on USC include point guard JuJu Watkins with 23.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, and forward Kiki Iriafen with 18 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. UCLA’s equivalent are point guard Kiki Rice with 12.7 points and 4.3 assists per game, and center Lauren Betts with 19.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
How Do the Two Teams Match Up?
USC’s two losses included losing to the University of Notre Dame 74-61 and the University of Iowa 76-69; UCLA has yet to play either team. UCLA lost both matchups against USC last year, with one in double overtime. The Bruins do have the addition of Texas A&M transfer Janiah Barker, averaging eight points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and freshman Elina Aarnisalo, who leads the team in assists with 4.4 per game. Overall, Betts is having a more dominant season as well, improving from 14.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game last season. UCLA, in general, has a great fitting team this year, with well-suited roleplayers filling most of their needs.
The greatest hurdle for USC will be the length and defensive prowess of six-foot-seven Betts, who leads her team with 2.9 blocks per game. USC does have a player who matches her height, six-foot-six Clarice Akunwafo, but her minutes are usually spare. Instead, USC will likely have six-foot-four center Rayah Marshall on Betts, who also leads her team with 2.3 blocks per game. When Betts is “on,” however, there aren’t many answers to slow her down, and what she lacks offensively, she makes up for defensively. Londynn Jones has also been a sneaky threat this year as a great off-ball shooter for UCLA. UCLA needs to focus on swallowing JuJu Watkins, who is extremely crafty and sweet with her midrange game. The Bruins likely will not have too many problems with USC’s remaining players, as their defense is notoriously good this season. However, pressure should remain fervent on Iriafen and guard Kennedy Smith as well.
Tomorrow, Who Will LA Belong To?
UCLA. Unless USC has a strong answer for Betts, it’s difficult to see them snapping UCLA’s undefeated winning streak. Watkins has evidently been experiencing somewhat of a scoring slump this season as well, only shooting 31 percent from the floor and 16 percent from three-point range this season, a notable drop from 40.1 and 31.9 percent last year. USC does have the added bonus of home-court advantage, however, and with these two dominant teams, anything is possible.
