USC women ready for No. 2 UCLA rematch: ‘We’re not the same team’
Kara Dunn knew the importance of the USC-UCLA rivalry when she joined the Trojans’ women’s basketball team as a transfer from Georgia Tech, but it wasn’t until an 80-46 loss to the Bruins in early January that she truly felt the effects.
USC lost five of its six games after that UCLA loss, forcing the team to come together and have difficult conversations.
“No one would ask to lose like that, but if it sets a fire under us and we can end this Big Ten season on a high note, then so be it,” Dunn said. “That’s the way life goes, honestly, and I’m really excited for it.”
The second rivalry game is set for 3 p.m. Sunday at a sold-out Galen Center, and No. 2 UCLA is just as strong as it was at the beginning of the season. Winners of 21 in a row, the Bruins aim to achieve an undefeated Big Ten Conference regular season and maintain their projection as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Trojans (17-11, 9-8 Big Ten) had gained momentum at the end of January with a six-game win streak, but the conclusion of February has not been as kind. They are now predicted to be a No. 8 seed in the tournament after a road trip to the East Coast handed them back-to-back losses at then-No. 10 Ohio State and Penn State.
The latter was especially humbling, considering the Nittany Lions had only won a trio of Big Ten games heading into the contest. USC saw major production from its starting lineup – including 24 points from Dunn and 22 points from freshman guard Jazzy Davidson – but it wasn’t enough.
“What we’re building in the program and what we want to have all the time is that you’re competing as a unit,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb told reporters. “It’s different than just having five guys out there busting their tail. It’s doing it with a sense of what it looks like as a group to quell someone else’s run or to get something going together.”
Sophomore guard Kennedy Smith added 19 points, six rebounds and four assists in the Penn State loss. She missed three games in January due to injury, but has returned to form as an aggressive scorer and defender.
“She’s a winning player,” Gottlieb said. “She makes other people’s lives easier with her passing. She’s a great defender. But to have her consistently put up double digits is what we know she’s capable of. She’s playing her best basketball, which is what you want.”
UCLA (27-1, 17-0) owns the highest shooting percentage in the conference, making 51.4% of its shots from the field. The Bruins rank second in shooting from long range at 37.6% and are at the top of the Big Ten in terms of rebounds (42.9) and assists (22.2).
Center Lauren Betts, an imposing inside presence at 6-foot-7, and guard Kiki Rice lead the Bruins in scoring with 16.7 and 15.3 points per game, respectively. Both are part of a strong six-deep senior class that reached the Final Four last season.
Like Gottlieb, Dunn wants to see more urgency from her team this time around. Especially since they’ll be on their home court and celebrating Senior Day.
“We still have things that we need to fix,” Dunn said, “but I feel like UCLA is not going to see the same team. Internally, we’re not the same team.”
No. 2 UCLA (27-1 overall, 17-0 Big Ten) at USC (17-11, 9-8)
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Galen Center
TV/Radio: FS1/710 AM