Tag: UCLA Athletics

UCLA remains atop USA TODAY Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll

UCLA is still tops in the USA TODAY Sports Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll

Not only have the UCLA Bruins made history by being the longest consecutively-ranked No. 1 school in Big Ten Conference history; coaches around the nation have also taken notice. Once again the Bruins, in their first year in the Big Ten, have taken the top spot in the USA TODAY Sports Women’s Basketball Coaches Poll. UCLA grabbed 30 of 31 first place votes, with No. 2 South Carolina earning one vote despite the Gamecocks losing 77-62 when the two schools played in November. 

UCLA began the season ranked sixth in the coaches poll. The Bruins remained in the six-spot until their win over South Carolina, which bumped the Bruins to No. 2 behind UConn. In early December, UCLA took the top spot in the poll and hasn’t relinquished the position over the past nine polls. 

You don’t have to look too far down the poll to find UCLA’s conference opponents, with USC sitting at No. 4 and Ohio State at No. 8. Maryland and Michigan State are the only other two Big Ten schools ranked in the poll. Minnesota, which the Bruins will face this Sunday, fell out of the rankings. 

Before the season began it would have been hard to imagine UCLA’s move to the Big Ten going quite as well as it has through the first 20 games, with the Bruins remaining unbeaten and staying atop almost every ranking. It won’t be easy to stay there, though. After the Bruins’ matchup with Minnesota, they’ll face Ohio State on Wednesday at home for another top-10duel.

Free throw shooting dooms USC in loss to UCLA

Andy Enfield-era free throw shooting problems for USC have continued into the Eric Musselman era. This was a crusher.

Any USC fan who watched the men’s basketball program during the Andy Enfield era knows the Trojans frequently struggled with free throw shooting in critical moments. On numerous occasions under Enfield, USC lost a game because it was unable to knock down free throws in crucial situations.

However, with a new head coach and an entirely revamped roster, surely the Trojans’ free throw woes would finally go away in 2024-2025, right?

As it turns out, the answer was no.

In Monday night’s Crosstown Showdown against UCLA, USC’s free throw problems of seasons past reappeared at the worst possible time. In the rivalry matchup against the Bruins, the Trojans shot just 57.9% from the line in an 82-76 home loss.

When the game was on the line late, the Trojans were at their worst. Over a seven-plus minute stretch late in the second half, USC went just 3 of 9 from the free throw line. Those six points wound up being the difference in the game.

The backbreaker came with the Trojans trailing 73-72 in the final two minutes. Saint Thomas drew a foul and went to the free throw line with a chance to tie the game or put USC ahead. However, he missed both shots, leaving the Trojans trailing by one. UCLA’s Sebastian Mack proceeded to hit a 3-pointer at the other end, which effectively served as the dagger.

For USC, it was a massive instance of what could have been. Had the Trojans shot better from the free throw line, they may have been able to pull out a massive rivalry victory. Instead, they suffered a heartbreaking loss to their crosstown foes on their home court.

Kiki Rice is helping Lauren Betts and UCLA in January

Kiki Rice had a lot to be happy about after her winning performance versus Maryland.

While center Lauren Betts stole the headlines in UCLA’s recent 82-67 win over Maryland, guard Kiki Rice returned to her home state of Maryland and had quite a homecoming game.

Rice had 19 points and six rebounds in the game, both second on the Bruins behind Betts, with a game-high seven assists and three steals. 

“It was fantastic,” Rice said of the return to College Park, Maryland. “Growing up in Maryland and going to camps here. I played here so many times just growing up in middle school and even before that.”

Rice’s per game averages have stayed similar to her in her All-Pac-12 sophomore season but her efficiency in the 2024-2025 season has gone way up. She’s shooting a career-high 55.7% from the field and is up to a 35.7% percent shooter while remaining strong at the free throw line at 84%. 

“It was really exciting to see so many of my family and friends come out here,” Rice said. “A lot of people from our high school came out and just so many supporters. It was really awesome to get to play here.”

Rice headed across the country to California before the 2022-2023 season to play with head coach Cori Close and since then, there’s been few teams in the country that’s won more games than the Bruins, with UCLA sporting a 74-17 record.

“Only undefeated team left in men’s and women’s college basketball, so that’s pretty cool,” Rice said. And individually, I felt really good out there.”

USC comeback attempt falls short in Crosstown Showdown loss to UCLA

USC battled hard but was ultimately far too inconsistent against UCLA.

On Monday night, USC men’s basketball fell 82-76 to rival UCLA in the first Big Ten edition of the Crosstown Showdown.

After a back-and-forth first half, UCLA seemed to tack control of the game early in the second, going up by as much as 12. However, the Trojans did not give up, battling back and cutting the deficit to one with under two minutes left to play.

With 1:37 remaining, USC’s Saint Thomas went to the free throw line with the Trojans trailing 73-72 and a chance to give his team the lead. However, Thomas missed both shots, Sebastian Mack immediately hit a three on the other end, effectively putting the game out of reach for USC.

With the loss, the Trojans dropped to 12-8 overall and 4-5 in Big Ten play. UCLA, meanwhile, improved to 15-6 overall and 6-4 in conference.

Up next, USC welcomes No. 7 Michigan State to Galen Center on Saturday afternoon. The Trojans and Bruins will meet again on March 8 at Pauley Pavilion in the regular season finale for both teams.

Lauren Betts explodes for 24-point first half against Maryland

Click, clack. Lauren Betts played like a superstar against Maryland, dominating the Terps from start to finish with a 33-point masterpiece.

UCLA junior center Lauren Betts continues to make a case for National Player of the Year. Betts delivered a dominant first half of basketball against No. 8 Maryland on Sunday, carrying the Bruins to a 20-0 record.

The superstar junior scored 24 points over 18 minutes of action in the first half. The Bruins needed all of Betts’ scoring, as they led just 39-34 at halftime on Sunday. Betts went 11-12 from the field and put on a masterclass on how to establish positioning in the post in the first 20 minutes.

Betts totaled the 24 first-half points with only two free throw attempts; Maryland was unable to slow her down. The Terrapins didn’t send too many double-teams at Betts, which was a surprise due to the way she was out-muscling their defense. Maryland was able to force one turnover (of two in the first half) from Betts with a double-team, but the next double-team led to an easy bucket for Gabriela Jaquez. 

There are two reasons why Betts didn’t score even more in the first half. One was Bruin turnovers, ten in the first half. The other was Maryland’s zone defense, which made UCLA perimeter players hesitant to throw the ball to Betts in the post. The entry passes to Betts in the first half were mostly phenomenal. Betts gave her teammates clean passing lanes, and her teammates accurately delivered passes.

Betts was averaging 20.3 points per game entering Sunday. She needed only the first 20 minutes of action against Maryland to ensure that number would go up. 

UCLA completes 3-0 road trip with 82-67 win over Maryland

UCLA stayed on the East Coast for a full week and went 3-0, capped by a decisive win over Maryland. The Bruins are rolling.

The No. 1 UCLA women’s basketball team moved to 20-0 on Sunday with a 82-67 win over Maryland to wrap up the Bruins’ three-game Eastern road swing.

UCLA leaned on the ultra-efficient Lauren Betts, who went 14-15 from the field en route to scoring a career-high 33 points, with seven rebounds and four more blocks. Betts scored 24 points in the first half before the Maryland defense began to force the ball out of her hands, which led to Betts picking up four assists on Sunday.

Betts and junior guard Kiki Rice were the two main factors of UCLA’s offense, with Rice adding 19 points, seven assists and three steals. It was a homecoming for the Maryland native. Rice who certainly showed out in her return home, spending lots of time at the free throw line; she went 9-10 in the game. 

Rice and Betts were the only two Bruin scorers in double figures, but the entire team enjoyed a solid shooting performance, going 54.5% from the field and 36.8% from three. After 10 turnovers in the first half, UCLA took better care of the ball with just seven coming after halftime. 

Maryland kept it close in the first half, heading to halftime trailing by five, but UCLA took control in the second half. UCLA led by 25 with 3:08 to play in the fourth quarter before the Terrapins went on a 10-0 run after the Bruin starters left the game.

Maryland entered the game as the best rebounding team in Big Ten action, but the Bruins were able to win the battle of the boards, narrowly edging the Terrapins 33-32 on the glass. 

UCLA will have its first game at Pauley Pavillon since New Year’s Day next Sunday against Minnesota.

Kobe Johnson returns to Galen Center wearing blue

If Kobe Johnson had gone anywhere else, it wouldn’t have been an issue, but he transferred to UCLA. Monday night should be spicy.

For three years, Kobe Johnson was a USC basketball fan favorite at Galen Center. A two-time team captain, Johnson was a strong leader and constantly remained humble. While the likes of Drew Peterson, Boogie Ellis, Isaiah Collier, and Bronny James naturally drew most of the attention, Johnson was always content to let them have the spotlight and let his play on the court speak for itself. However, this past offseason, that all changed when Johnson decided to transfer from USC to crosstown rival UCLA. In a heartbeat, he went from a player USC fans loved to one of the Trojans’ biggest villains.

When the Trojans host the Bruins at Galen Center Monday night, it will mark Johnson’s return to Galen Center. He will do so wearing a color USC fans cannot stand: UCLA light blue.

In the transfer portal era, fans are generally understanding when players decide to look elsewhere. Had Johnson transferred to just about any other school in the country, USC fans would have thanked him for his time in Cardinal and Gold and wished him the best of luck.

But even in today’s new age, rivalries remain the heartbeat of college sports. While transferring to a different school is widely viewed as normal and acceptable, switching sides in a rivalry is where most fans draw the line.

So when Johnson hears his name introduced at Galen Center Monday night, don’t expect a particularly warm welcome from the Trojan Family.

Previewing USC-UCLA hoops with UCLA Wire’s Jake Hamilton

Trojans Wire talked to UCLA wire about Monday night’s big game in the Galen Center. USC is in must-win mode.

Monday night, when USC basketball hosts UCLA, marks the first men’s basketball Crosstown Showdown of the season. It will mark the beginning of a new era in the storied rivalry. For one thing, it will be the first matchup between the schools as members of the Big Ten Conference. In addition, it will mark the introduction to the rivalry for Eric Musselman, who is in his first season as the Trojans’ head coach.

Ahead of the matchup, I spoke to UCLA Wire’s Jake Hamilton to ask him a few questions about the Bruins.

Adam: How has UCLA fared in adjusting to the Big Ten thus far?

Jake: UCLA’s first season in the Big Ten has been up and down. The Bruins have a nasty habit of playing up to their competition and playing down to it. With big wins against Oregon, Wisconsin, and Iowa, UCLA showed what they can be at their best. On the other hand, in their losses to Michigan, Nebraska, Maryland, and Rutgers, the Bruins look disjointed and, in some ways, lost. This upcoming stretch of games (Washington, USC, Oregon, and Michigan State) should be telling as to whether or not the Bruins can contend in the super-sized Big Ten.

Adam: Kobe Johnson made headlines when he transferred from USC to UCLA this offseason. What has his impact been for the Bruins thus far?

Jake: Johnson has struggled to find a rhythm thus far with the Bruins, averaging only 7.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. One of the culprits for Johnson’s minimal impact is the Bruins’ offense. UCLA has a lot of mouths to feed at the guard position between Skyy Clark, Dylan Andrews, and Sebastian Mack. The Bruins have a “committee” backcourt in many ways. In most cases, the Bruins feed the hot hand. Johnson is due for a breakout game in a UCLA uniform, perhaps against his former team. That said, the clock is ticking for the senior to make a statement on the Bruins.

Adam: Unlike in years past, UCLA’s roster is not filled with high-profile players. Who are some guys that USC fans should familiarize themselves with ahead of the game?

Jake: Sebastian Mack and Eric Dailey Jr.

When Mack gets minutes, he can score in bunches, scoring ten or more points in ten games for the Bruins this season. The sophomore guard is streaky as a scorer, something that could be huge in the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. The problem? Mack, in his somewhat limited role with the Bruins this season, is a volume shooter. And when Mack can’t make good on his three-point attempts, he can become a liability on offense. However, no team in the Big Ten should want to face the Bruins on a night when Mack is hot. That’s for sure.

Dailey Jr. is a reliable two-way player for the Bruins. He is a relatively consistent scorer and can routinely score in the double digits. Shooting over 50% from the field and over 33% from three, Dailey Jr. is a solid contributor for the Bruins and is leaned on heavily when they need a bucket. Unfortunately, Dailey Jr. often finds himself in foul trouble. Dailey Jr. has fouled out twice this season and committed four fouls in five of the Bruins’ eighteen games. For Dailey Jr. to have a pronounced impact this season, he will need to be more polished and avoid unnecessary fouls.

Adam: What is your prediction for the game?

Jake: Nearly every statistic is identical between the Bruins and the Trojans thus far this season. From points per game to field goal percentage to rebounds, the two Los Angeles programs are neck and neck. That said, UCLA’s defense will be the deciding factor. Allowing only 64.7 points per game to opponents, the Bruins should manage to slow down Desmond Claude and the Trojan offense. Having dug their way out of a four-game losing streak in the Big Ten, the surging Bruins will eke out a narrow win against the Trojans, 72-67.

Charlisse Leger-Walker helps UCLA even while being out for the season

Charlisse Leger-Walker is being a great UCLA teammate even though she is unable to play due to injury.

After UCLA’s 84-66 win over Rutgers on Thursday, Bruins head coach Cori Close praised a Bruin who is not even playing in the 2024-2025 season. UCLA Guard Charlisse Leger-Walker, who transferred from Washington State this past offseason, is out for the entire season as she recovers from a torn ACL. Yet, that doesn’t mean she can’t make a difference for UCLA this season. 

“One of our players that’s actually sitting out this year, she made a great point in the locker room after the game,” Close said. “It was Charlisse Leger-Walker, about how when we find something that works, our next point of maturity is to just keep doing it.”

Close brought it up in the postgame press conference when asked about how UCLA handled the Scarlet Knights’ zone defense.

“I thought we were dribbling too quickly versus their zone in the first quarter and really challenging our guards to create ball movement and ball reversal versus their zone,” Close said. “I didn’t think we were as consistent with that in the second half.”

The Bruins outscored Rutgers by only two points in the second half, but it was still enough to push UCLA to 19-0 on the season.

Leger-Walker was named to the Wooden Award Watchlist this season. She averaged 16.6 points per game in 105 games over four seasons with Washington State. UCLA is already No. 1 in the country without Leger-Walker; if the Bruins can retain center Lauren Betts and guard Kiki Rice, there’s a chance UCLA will be just as loaded again next season.

Is Brittney Griner the best comparison for Lauren Betts?

If Lauren Betts wants to make a Brittney Griner comparison more legitimate, there is one very big thing she can do.

When watching great athletes, it’s easy as fans to think of other great players they remind you of. With UCLA center Lauren Betts’ unique blend of size and skill, there are not many college basketball players or WNBA players that are great comparisons for Betts. However, Howard Megdal of The IX Sports called former Baylor center Brittney Griner as the “last player with a profile anything like Betts.” Megdal added that Griner wasn’t as “efficient or skilled an offensive player as Betts is at this point in her collegiate career.” That is awfully high praise, considering Griner was a two-time AP Player of the Year and was an NCAA champion in her time with the Bears.

In terms of efficiency, Betts holds up well against Griner, who was absolutely dominant at Baylor from 2009-2013 before heading to the WNBA, where she has been an All-WNBA player six times. Griner was elite from the very beginning of her college career, averaging 18.4 points per game as a freshman. She led the country with 6.4 blocks per game. Betts is set to have the best season in program history at blocking shots, but she’s still at just 2.8.

After her freshman season, Griner proceeded to average close to 23 points per game over the next three seasons, Betts is having a career-best season, scoring at 20 points per game.

The case could be made that Betts would have a higher scoring output if she was surrounded by less talent, but Griner did so while being able to win a national title, something Betts and the Bruins have yet to do.

If Lauren Betts really wants to make the Brittney Griner comparison work, she needs to go win a national championship at UCLA.