Roars rained down from each corner of Pauley Pavilion, every soul in the hallowed hoops arena knowing full well the fate of the crosstown showdown and the conference title that came with it rested squarely on her shoulders. Some in cardinal and gold waited for deliverance, as if it was assured. Others in light blue prayed for divine intervention, knowing little else would save No. 2 UCLA.
The feeling — of a whole arena hanging on her every move — is so familiar to JuJu Watkins. She has survived her share of crucibles already at USC. But never before in her two sensational seasons has a conference title come attached.
It had been 31 years, in fact, since USC had earned a regular season conference crown. That championship, in 1994, arrived more than a decade before Watkins was born.
No one, decades from now, would ever mistake the imprint that Watkins made on this particular conference title for USC, its first-ever in the Big Ten. After a stellar 38-point performance in their memorable first meeting, Watkins poured in 30 more Saturday night, as No. 4 USC rolled through No. 2 UCLA 80-67.
As the Trojans gathered near center court after the final 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 regular season for USC and Gottlieb, who inherited a program in need of a full rebuild just a few years ago. The arrival of Watkins supercharged that process. But Saturday’s second half was a reminder about the importance of a strong supporting cast.
Iriafen scored 17 points, while USC’s defense played a major part in shutting down the Bruins’ leading scorer, Lauren Betts, and discombobulating the Bruin offense.
USC guard JuJu Watkins, left, celebrates with teammates during a win over UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday night.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
UCLA did its best to climb back, cutting USC’s lead to just four late in the third quarter, but the Trojan torrent proved too much, as Watkins and Co. buried UCLA in the fourth.
Betts, a National Player of the Year candidate, once again struggled to establish herself in the post where she so often has dominated. USC followed the same formula that slowed her down when teams first met on Feb. 13, swarming the 6-foot-7 center down low and forcing her to fight through contact.
Her frustration mounted. As the Trojans pummeled her in the paint, Betts was called for three travels.
Without her at her best, there was little UCLA could do to stem the Trojan tide led by Watkins.
USC guard JuJu Watkins, left, blocks a shot by UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez during the first half Saturday.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Right away, she looked primed to pick up where she left off in their first matchup, stepping up confidently to the three-point line on her first touch to knock one down from deep. She only picked up steam from there, scoring 13 in the first frame to outpace her virtuoso performance in February’s win over the Bruins.
UCLA, by comparison, opened ice cold, missing seven straight from the field.
The Bruins shook off the slump, but Watkins refused to let up. When Iriafen, the Trojans’ second-leading scorer, drew a third foul early in the second quarter, USC’s star only pushed down the gas pedal. Iriafen would score just a single bucket in the first half, while Watkins exploded for 23.
She slowed down in the second. But by that point, a Big Ten title — USC’s first-ever — was already well in hand.