From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Bruised, bloodied but unbowed, JuJu Watkins had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead USC to a 65-62 win over Arizona in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The Pac-12 freshman of the year fought through Arizona’s physical defense that left her with a welt over her left eyebrow and a bandage on her left arm. The target of every opposing team’s scouting report, Watkins was held to a season-low in scoring during conference play, but had no problem relying on her teammates. Junior Rayah Marshall scored 15 points and 15 rebounds for her third consecutive double-double.
“Our team continues to impress me with finding ways to win,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I think we’re at our best when we’re getting contributions everywhere. I think we ended up being toughest when toughness was needed.”
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USC, which will play UCLA in Friday’s semifinal at 7:30 p.m. PST, busted open a tight, four-point game with eight consecutive points to start the fourth quarter. Only one point during the decisive run came from Watkins.
Graduate transfer McKenzie Forbes made two key threes during the fourth quarter to finish with nine points. Guard Taylor Bigby hit three big three-pointers off the bench during the first half.
Watkins scored just seven points in the final three quarters combined. She arrived just in time to stop Arizona’s comeback attempt. After Arizona’s Jada Williams whittled USC’s lead to three with a three-pointer, Watkins drove into the lane, came to a stop just as Arizona’s Isis Beh tried to step in to draw a charge and contorted her body around the Arizona forward to give USC (24-5) a five-point lead with 22.4 seconds remaining.
“She’s a winning player who cares about winning and takes a lot on her shoulders,” Gottlieb said.
Women’s Pac-12 tournament bracket
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UCLA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
UCLA forward Angela Dugalić, shown here celebrating during a game against Oregon in January, scored 17 points in the Bruins’ 67-57 win over Utah in the Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals Thursday night.
(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: This is the only team on which a former five-star prospect like Angela Dugalić could become an afterthought. Often overshadowed by a trio of All-Pac-12 players, the Oregon transfer reasserted her presence in UCLA’s 67-57 win over Utah in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament Thursday.
Dugalić scored 12 of her season-high-tying 17 points during the second half to push No. 3 seed UCLA into the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The victory, paired with No. 2 USC’s over Arizona, set up the final installment of this season’s Bruins-Trojans crosstown rivalry trilogy in Friday’s semifinal at 7:30 p.m. PST.
Sophomore Kiki Rice added 13 points with nine rebounds while fifth-year guard Charisma Osborne had 16 points, shaking off a third-quarter knee injury that sidelined her about two minutes of game time after she collided with Utah’s Inês Vieira midway through the third quarter.
UCLA MEN’S BASKETBALL
Arizona’s Keshad Johnson, center, dribbles under pressure from UCLA’s Dylan Andrews, left, and Lazar Stefanovic during the first half of the Bruins’ 88-65 loss Thursday at Pauley Pavilion.
(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
From Ben Bolch: In case Mick Cronin needed a reminder, the most important work he does this month will come once the season ends.
The transfer portal opens March 18.
Developing UCLA’s current roster won’t be enough given the talent discrepancy on display Thursday night against a hated nemesis. One team looked capable of a deep March run and the other appeared in a rush to end its season.
The big question is how many of these battered Bruins will be back next November?
They barely put up any fight against No. 5 Arizona in the final game between the teams at Pauley Pavilion as Pac-12 rivals, UCLA sputtering its way to an 88-65 loss that was an unworthy final chapter in the storied series.
Waiting to get inside Pauley Pavilion for UCLA basketball games can be a real love line
Pac-12 men’s basketball scores
Pac-12 men’s basketball standings
DODGERS
Chicago White Sox’s Nicky Lopez (8) steals second base ahead of a throw to Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Gavin Lux, left, during the second inning of a spring training baseball game in Phoenix on Wednesday.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
From Mike DiGiovanna: Gavin Lux was spared a pair of errors Wednesday when first baseman Freddie Freeman dug out two one-hop throws from the Dodgers shortstop in a Cactus League game against the Chicago White Sox.
Manager Dave Roberts may not be as forgiving when it comes time to choose a starting shortstop for the season-opening two-game series against the San Diego Padres in South Korea on March 20-21.
The Dodgers handed Lux the job in the spring of 2023, only to see Lux suffer a freak right-knee injury while running the bases in the first week of exhibition games and lose the infielder to season-ending knee surgery.
Lux appears fully recovered from the procedure to repair the two main ligaments in his knee, and he was assured when he reported to camp this spring that he would be the team’s starting shortstop this season.
Trevor Bauer scheduled to pitch against Dodgers minor-leaguers
Why is Daniel Hudson determined to make another comeback?
(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)
From Ben Bolch: UCLA’s new football coach came at a steep discount.
DeShaun Foster’s five-year contract that will pay him $3 million in the first year is roughly half the annual value of predecessor Chip Kelly’s contract, according to a memorandum of agreement reviewed by The Times on Thursday.
Foster will receive $100,000 raises each year, to $3.1 million in Year 2, $3.2 million in Year 3, $3.3 million in Year 4 and $3.4 million in Year 5. He already received a hiring bonus of $250,000 and will get one $500,000 retention bonus if he remains employed by the school as of March 15, 2026, and another $500,000 retention bonus if he remains employed as of March 15, 2028.
Foster’s buyout comes with a declining percentage of his remaining salary over the remaining years on his contract. For instance, if UCLA was to buy him out after the end of his second season on Dec. 2, 2025, it would owe 60% of of his remaining salary in Year 3 and 40% of his remaining salary in Years 4 and 5 — a total of roughly $5.27 million. That buyout figure would drop to $3.35 million if the Bruins were to buy out Foster on Dec. 2, 2026, after the end of his third season.
RAMS
Rams guard Kevin Dotson walks back to the locker room after a game against the Washington Commanders in December.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
From Gary Klein: The Rams’ trade for offensive lineman Kevin Dotson on the eve of last season did not rank as a blockbuster but proved vital for a team that advanced to the playoffs.
Dotson started 14 games at right guard and played extremely well, positioning himself as perhaps the top pending unrestricted free agent offensive lineman.
Free agency begins next week, but Rams general manager Les Snead made a big move Thursday by agreeing to contract terms with Dotson, said a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly.
The Rams announced it was a three-year deal. Terms of the contract were not available but several reports said it could be worth as much as $48 million.
Dotson, 27, began his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Rams acquired him last August in a deal that cost them a 2024 fourth-round draft pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
SOCCER
Alex Morgan of the U.S., above, collides with Canada’s Vanessa Gilles during Wednesday’s CONCACAF W Gold Cup semifinal match in San Diego.
(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
From Kevin Baxter: A light rain was falling when the U.S. and Canadian national teams headed to their locker rooms before Wednesday’s CONCACAF W Gold Cup semifinal at Snapdragon Stadium.
When they returned to start the game 15 minutes later, the drizzle had become a deluge and the field was under water. Lots and lots of water.
“It’s obvious that the game was unplayable,” Canadian coach Bev Priestman said.
That was the consensus opinion of everybody not on the officiating crew headed by Mexican referee Katia García. She told the teams to get on with it and the result may have been the most memorable game that never should have been played.
It was a soggy battle that saw the U.S. twice give away one-goal leads — the second on a penalty kick deep in stoppage time — in a 2-2 draw that was settled in a penalty-kick shootout the Americans won to advance to Sunday’s tournament final with Brazil.
KINGS
Kings forward Kevin Fiala celebrates after scoring in overtime in a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
From The Associated Press: Kevin Fiala scored in overtime to give the Kings a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.
Fiala scored on a spinning backhand two minutes into the extra session to give the Kings their third win in four games.
“That’s a really hard goal to score,” interim coach Jim Hiller said. “He was at the end of the shift already. … I wouldn’t have liked to see that thing go the other way. I know we were tired, we were a little worried about that, but give Kevin credit.”
Jacob Moverare scored his first career goal, Quinton Byfield and Pierre-Luc Dubois each had a goal, and Cam Talbot made 28 saves for the Kings.
MLB
The Oakland Athletics and their design teams released renderings of the club’s planned $1.5-billion stadium in Las Vegas on Tuesday. While some say the building resembles the famous Sydney Opera House, one of the designers compared it to “a spherical armadillo.”
(Negativ / Associated Press)
From Chuck Schilken: The Oakland Athletics have released artist renderings of their planned $1.5-billion ballpark in Las Vegas, and the new building looks …
Stunning? Definitely.
Innovative? Absolutely.
Like a spherical armadillo? Sure (more on that later).
Unique? Well, not quite.
The stadium depicted in the renderings released Tuesday by the A’s and design firms Bjarke Ingels Group and HNTB is striking in many ways — and it struck some people as bearing quite a resemblance to a world-famous venue.
Australia’s Sydney Opera House.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
From Steve Henson: Fifteen years ago, former Nebraska and Arizona State quarterback Sam Keller filed a class-action lawsuit that in 2013 resulted in Electronic Arts Sports mothballing its popular “College Football” video game. Why? The game featured players that did not have real-life names, but resembled every player on every roster in almost every other way.
EA settled with Keller, et al., for $40 million, and the NCAA chipped in another $20 million. Sounds like a lot but payments to each player ranged from about $1,500 to $15,000.
Keller, for his part, was flogged in the public square of social media for “ruining the video game for us.”
“People looked at the situation and thought I’m going after the game because I couldn’t make it as an NFL player and needed to make a quick buck,” Keller told the Arizona Republic in 2019 when college players were granted the right to be paid for their name, image and likeness, or NIL.
BOXING
Mike Tyson stands on the field before a game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers in September.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
From Chuck Schilken: Jake Paul declared he’s “ready for the big leagues” Saturday night following his first-round technical knockout of Ryan Bourland.
He better be.
Paul’s next match was announced Thursday, and it’s against one of the greatest boxers — Mike Tyson. The heavyweight bout will take place July 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and will be streamed exclusively on Netflix.
“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard,” Paul said in a statement about the 2020 card that Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. headlined at Staples Center. “Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons.”
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1954 — The Milwaukee Hawks beat the Baltimore Bullets twice 64-54 and 65-54, in the only doubleheader in NBA history involving the same two teams.
1958 — Silky Sullivan, ridden by Bill Shoemaker, wins the Santa Anita Derby by three lengths after trailing by 40 early in the race and by 20 entering the final turn.
1971 — Joe Frazier wins the world heavyweight title with a unanimous 15-round decision over Muhammad Ali at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
1990 — Kurt Browning becomes the first Canadian to defend a title in the World Figure Skating Championships as he edges early leader Viktor Petrenko of the Soviet Union.
1992 — Ray Floyd, 49, holds off Fred Couples for a two-stroke victory in the Doral Open and joins Sam Snead as the only men to win PGA Tour titles in four decades.
1997 — In the World Indoor Championship in Paris, Kevin Little becomes the first white American sprinter in 41 years to win a major international competition, matching the U.S. 200 record of 20.40 seconds.
2008 — At age 60, Saoul Mamby loses a unanimous 10-round decision to Anthony Osbourne in Grand Cayman. Mamby, a former super lightweight champion, becomes the oldest boxer in a sanctioned fight.
2008 — Lindsey Vonn wins her 10th career World Cup downhill to break the U.S. record held by Picabo Street and Daron Rahlves. Vonn breaks the record with her fifth downhill of the season in 1:23.57 on the 1.4-mile Crans-Montana, Switzerland course.
2010 — The top-ranked Connecticut Huskies set an NCAA women’s record by winning their 71st straight game, a 59-44 victory over No. 6 Notre Dame in the semifinals of the Big East tournament. UConn surpasses its own mark set from Nov. 9, 2001, to March 11, 2003.
2013 — The Big East Conference announces the departure of DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Villanova, allowing them to separate from the football schools and create their own conference on July 1.
2014 — Doug McDermott scores a career-high 45 points to become the eighth player in Division I history to go over 3,000 for a career and Creighton rolls past Providence 88-73.
2015 — Leonardo Mayer defeats Joao Souza in the longest Davis Cup singles match ever, winning 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 5-7, 5-7, 15-13 to keep Argentina alive against Brazil in their first round series. Mayer needed 6 hours, 42 minutes to beat Souza, which is also longer than the record for a clay-court match on the ATP tour.
2022 — Reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers agrees to remain with the Green Bay Packers in a reported 4-year, $200m deal that would make him the highest paid player in NFL history.
Compiled by the Associated Press
And finally
Kings forward Kevin Fiala wasn’t going to let anything stop him from scoring against the Ottawa Senators in overtime Thursday. Check out his stunning goal.
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.