Tag: UCLA Basketball

USC and UCLA hope to create a historic Pac-12 Women’s Tournament semifinal

The biggest game at the 2024 Pac-12 Women’s Tournament might not be the championship game. That and more in this Pac-12 notebook.

There’s a lot to talk about at the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas. The show is underway on Wednesday afternoon, with USC and UCLA playing Thursday night in the quarterfinals. If they both win — and it’s far from a lock that they will — they would create a historic and hugely important Pac-12 Tournament semifinal matchup late Friday night in Sin City. We’re not taking this matchup for granted — good teams could easily play spoiler and prevent this matchup from happening — but if it happens, we want you to know how big a game it will be on Friday. We’ll lead with that item but then continue with some other discussion topics in this Pac-12 women’s basketball notebook, with help from UCLA Wire:

If USC and UCLA meet on Friday night in the Pac-12 semifinals, the two rivals would meet for bragging rights and a victory in the three-game season series. The teams split the first two meetings, so this would be the decider. That’s meaningful on a personal level for both teams and fan bases, but the real prize on Friday — if these teams do meet — would be a possible No. 1 seed in the Women’s NCAA Tournament. The winner would have good odds of getting that top seed even if it loses in the Pac-12 Tournament final on Sunday. The winner would be near-certain to get a top seed if it then wins the Pac-12 Tournament title on Sunday.

USC and UCLA, if they meet, would play the second (late) semifinal Friday night. ESPN has the final on Sunday. That means this is the last Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball game ever shown on Pac-12 Network. What a way to end the Pac-12 Network era if the Trojans and Bruins meet on Friday.

USC could face Arizona or Washington. UCLA could face Utah. Which quarterfinal is tougher? UCLA Wire’s Matt Wadleigh said “It doesn’t matter who faces USC. JuJu Watkins is that good. UCLA will have a tougher game assuming Utah is the matchup. This tournament seems to be pretty chalk early on, but things can get interesting later on.”

Do UCLA fans want USC to lose before Friday’s semifinals? We don’t think so. UCLA Wire’s Matt Wadleigh agrees.

“I think UCLA fans want part three,” Wadleigh told us. “Sure, an easier matchup is always the hope. Then again, adding another signature win would help their chances of landing a 1-seed in the field of 68. L.A. showdown part three will be fantastic.” 

UCLA hammered Utah not that long ago. Will this meeting be different?

“Not much different,” Wadleigh said. “UCLA is playing arguably its best basketball of the season.” 

Which is the tougher matchup for USC in the quarterfinals on Thursday?

“Washington,” Wadleigh said. “That Huskies loss (earlier in the season) hurts, but perhaps the Trojans have figured out a way to get it down.” 

Wadleigh weighed in on a great coach of the year race in the Pac-12:

“It’s a four-person race: Scott Rueck, Lindsay Gottlieb, Cori Close, and Tara VanDerveer. VanDerveer has the best team, again. Cori Close has dealt with numerous injuries and is on the verge of a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Lindsay Gottlieb has the Trojans looking dangerous, although she has the best player in the conference in JuJu Watkins. I’ll go with Scott Rueck. Oregon State finished second to last a year ago, and they have been a top-25 team and can be a real threat in the Big Dance.”

Wadleigh told us that “Cameron Brink, Alissa Pili, and Lauren Betts all deserve consideration. However, I’ll go with JuJu Watkins. As we have all seen, she is a generational talent that has been key to turning around this USC program. Winning both the freshman player of the year and conference player of the year is extremely rare. But, JuJu is that good.”

Wadleigh summed up JuJu Watkins’ greatness this way:

“She is arguably the second best women’s player in the country behind Caitlin Clark, and any other year she would be at the top. She has been out of this world and just isn’t slowing down.” 

Wadleigh:

“The Oregon state beavers … somehow. The Beavers are destined for the Big Dance after going 13-18 and finishing second to last a year ago.” 

Wadleigh:

“The Oregon Ducks. They won 20 games a year ago and are now losers of 20 games. It’s a tough basketball season all around in Eugene.”

College Sports Wire analyst: USC and UCLA are the two biggest failures in men’s college basketball

A men’s college basketball analyst accurately identified the L.A. schools as the biggest disappointments in the country.

It has been — to use the Latin term — an “annus horribilis” for Los Angeles men’s college basketball. While women’s college hoops soars with quality and excitement, men’s college basketball in the City of Angels has been an absolute disaster in 2024. USC and UCLA were both picked to finish in the top three of the Pac-12 and easily make the NCAA Tournament. Both teams were viewed as squads which had a chance to make the Sweet 16 before the season began.

Neither will make the NCAA Tournament, barring a miracle at the Pac-12 Tournament in March.

College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton, a college basketball analyst and podcaster, properly identified USC as the No. 1 disappointment in men’s college hoops this season, with UCLA following closely at No. 2.

UCLA Wire noted what Patton said about the Bruins.

We will share what Patton said about the Trojans:

“The USC Trojans began the season with aspirations of displacing Arizona as the Pac-12 champion, earning a top four seed in the NCAA Tournament, and making a deep run fueled by the return of star guard Boogie Ellis and the addition of freshmen Isaiah Collier and Bronny James.

“Instead, Collier struggled with turnover and shooting issues before suffering a hand injury that will likely keep him out for the remainder of the year, while James didn’t return to the floor until December and has been underwhelming so far, even in an increased role.”

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Pac-12 women’s basketball report: Stanford rebounds from USC loss, hammers UCLA

UCLA’s effort was sorely lacking against Stanford, even with Lauren Betts’ absence factored into the equation.

The Stanford Cardinal were angry after losing to USC at home on Friday night. The Cardinal took out their frustrations on UCLA two days later. Stanford crushed UCLA, 80-60, to tie Colorado atop the Pac-12 standings with a 9-2 record through 11 games.

UCLA Wire editor Matt Wadleigh wrote:

“”Just two days after a 20-point blowout against Cal, Cori Close’s team was now on the wrong side of the scoreboard against the Cardinal. Stanford responded after losing to USC and giving up 51 points to JuJu Watkins. And, it was all Stanford from start to finish in this game.

Afterward, Charisma Osborne didn’t hide her feelings one bit (h/t Gavin Carlson of The Daily Bruin).

“’Tonight was really embarrassing playing out there,’ Osborne said. ‘We have to figure it out and step up.’”

UCLA really did look lost and confused against Cameron Brink and the rest of a Stanford team which was always in control of this game. Stanford busted out to a quick 13-4 lead and was never seriously challenged.

As UCLA Wire noted, Bruin head coach Cori Close was very displeased with the performance she got from her team against Stanford. It will be fascinating to see UCLA, without center Lauren Betts, handles the next few weeks on its schedule.

Elsewhere in the Pac-12, Colorado dominated Washington on the road in Seattle to tie Stanford atop the standings. The other especially big (non-USC) result on Sunday was Oregon State’s 64-60 win over Oregon. The Beavers are now all alone in third place in the Pac-12, ahead of UCLA, Utah, and USC.

Utah won at Washington State with a late run. Arizona beat Arizona State in Tucson.

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Boogie Ellis starts hot but can’t repeat 2023 heroics vs UCLA in USC’s fifth straight loss

Boogie Ellis couldn’t carry USC with Isaiah Collier still injured.

Hoping for a revival of their stagnant offense, the USC Trojans entered the Galen Center on Saturday with a plan. They pinned their hopes against UCLA on the comeback of Boogie Ellis. When Ellis was unable to play in recent road games, along with freshman sensation Isaiah Collier, the simple fact of the matter is that USC’s offense collapsed. Missing their two primary ball-handlers and leading scorers has been disastrous for the Trojans’ hopes of making the NCAA Tournament.

Boogie, who was sidelined for three weeks due to a hamstring injury, came out against UCLA on fire. In the opening seven minutes of the game, he contributed eight of USC’s initial 10 points by making two 3-pointers and hitting a contested jump shot from the elbow.  However, this initial burst faded quickly, as he struggled to shake the rust off after missing the previous three games. Ellis finished the night going 3-10 from the floor and 2-5 beyond the arc. His eight points fell well short of his season average of 18.7 points per game. USC’s offense bogged down in a dispiriting 65-50 loss to UCLA.

Last year when UCLA visited the Galen Center, USC trailed by double digits in the first half as well, but the Trojans came back to win the game on Boogie Ellis’s 31 points, 27 coming during the second-half comeback.  The stage was set for an encore, but Ellis couldn’t get his sea legs back, which derailed any hopes of a Hollywood ending.

Andy Enfield’s squad has averaged 18.3 turnovers per game with Collier and Boogie out. Ellis’s return saw that number drop to eight against an aggressive Mick Cronin defense. Unfortunately, poor shooting in the paint, a 22-2 run by by the Bruins late in the first half, and giving up 17 second-chance points to the Bruins squandered that improvement.

The Trojans have now lost five straight games, dropping their record to 8-12 (2-7 in conference) and they are now in sole possession of last place in the Pac-12. Ellis and the Trojans hope to get back on track this Thursday at the Galen Center against the Oregon Ducks.

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Pac-12 men’s basketball report: Arizona State blows 15-point lead at home to UCLA

In most years, losing to UCLA wouldn’t hurt a team’s NCAA Tournament resume. This is not most years. Ouch, ASU!

Normally, a win over UCLA men’s basketball carries great value, and a loss doesn’t carry that much of a sting. UCLA was a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament last year, a No. 4 seed the year before in 2022. Beating the Bruins usually elevates a resume by several degrees, and losing to UCLA doesn’t hurt one’s overall profile. Not this year!

The Bruins entered Wednesday night with a 7-10 record. They are a below-average team — some might say “bad” — and have already eliminated themselves from contention for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The only way UCLA gets in is if it wins four games in four days to capture the Pac-12 Tournament championship in March. That’s the same path for USC. It’s the only path for the Los Angeles schools, which have both had disastrous seasons.

Beating UCLA isn’t expected in most seasons, but it certainly was for Arizona State on Wednesday at home in Tempe.

Then the game started. ASU built a 13-point halftime lead and led by 15 early in the second half. Given how profoundly UCLA has struggled to score this season, that should have been game, set, match, Sun Devils. ASU plays good defense under Bobby Hurley and should have no problem locking down a bad offensive team.

The Sun Devils couldn’t do it. They lost their composure and let this game slip away in a 68-66 loss.

How bad was ASU’s late collapse? The Sun Devils committed two technical fouls in the final four minutes of regulation. Yes, the whistles were dubious and better officials would not have called those technical fouls. However, ASU — baited by UCLA — took the bait instead of showing discipline. The technical foul calls were bad, but Arizona State still did not maintain poise and composure.

The loss is a very damaging blow to Arizona State’s attempt to get an NCAA Tournament berth. ASU did not do well in nonconference games. The Sun Devils have wins over Utah and Colorado but not much else. Their seven losses include stumbles against San Diego and Washington. They are in trouble.

USC faces the Sun Devils next on the weekend in Tempe.

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USC women’s basketball icon Cheryl Miller addresses Women of Troy after UCLA win

Miller, the leader of USC’s WBB dynasty in the 1980s, told the 2024 Trojans “the Bruins never saw it coming” on Sunday.

The USC women’s basketball program, it is important to note, is not doing something new. It is doing what it used to do 40 years ago. Everyone needs to remember that point.

USC women’s basketball is not a program which has never tasted elite success. The Trojans were the first dynastic power in women’s college hoops after the Women’s NCAA Tournament began in 1982. They were the first Division I team to win two NCAA Tournaments. Cheryl Miller was the leader of those USC teams. She is one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time and a certified legend of the game.

After the 2024 USC team beat UCLA to rise to No. 4 in the USA TODAY Sports Women’s College Basketball Poll and become a projected No. 2 seed in the Women’s NCAA Tournament, Miller addressed the Women of Troy. She had a lot to say, and the three-minute speech is worth watching and sharing to every Trojan you know.

“The Bruins never saw it coming,” Miller said, praising the quality of USC’s effort against UCLA.

Here’s the speech in full:

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Pac-12 men’s basketball report: Oregon beats UCLA, sends Bruins under .500

UCLA, like USC, is 6-7 through 13 games.

The Pac-12 basketball slate on Saturday was limited to the Los Angeles schools and the Oregon schools. USC lost to Oregon State in Corvallis in the night game, but in the day game on CBS Sports, Oregon stopped UCLA by a score of 64-59.

The Ducks didn’t dominate, but they did enough to prevail. Oregon scored only four points in the final 4:34 of regulation but was able to keep UCLA at bay by preventing the Bruins from scoring easy baskets.

Oregon dared UCLA to shoot 3-pointers and basically told the Bruins they would need to make jump shots to win. The Bruins couldn’t do it. UCLA finished the game 3 of 19 on 3-point shots, with Dylan Andrews going 1 of 7 from long range and 2 of 12 overall. UCLA also committed 16 turnovers and earned only 11 free throws, additional proof of how effective Oregon’s no-layup, no-dunk defense truly was. If UCLA can’t score easy baskets, it’s in trouble, because it doesn’t have elite scorers and shooters who can make difficult shots on a consistent basis.

UCLA, like USC, is now 6-7 through 13 games. Imagine that scenario before the season began. It’s hard to process, but it’s reality.

Oregon is 10-3 overall and 2-0 in the Pac-12. The Ducks have battled a lot of injuries but are finding ways to cope, unlike the Los Angeles men’s basketball schools.

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After fourth straight loss, is UCLA even an NCAA Tournament team?

Mick Cronin and the UCLA Bruins have lost four straight and lack the talent necessary to make a serious run, and could fall out of the NCAA Tournament picture.

Heading into December the UCLA Bruins were 5-2 on the season, including a 4-0 record at home with their only losses coming in the Maui Invitational to then No. 4 Marquette (by two points) and then No. 11 Gonzaga (by four points).

Sure the one point win over UC Riverside was less than convincing, but at the time there was little concern Mick Cronin’s very young team, littered with international players, wouldn’t find their way into being a top 25 caliber program and compete for second place in the Pac-12 behind Arizona.

The month of December, however, has been anything but kind to UCLA. The Bruins managed just 56 points against a struggling Villanova squad on the road, and then had a horrible shooting day in an eventual 67-60 loss to Ohio State in Atlanta.

Those two losses in a vacuum are not resume killers, but coming back home and falling to Cal-State Northridge (237th at KenPom) and then again to a seriously struggling Maryland team, who was up by 20 at times and eventually won by nine, is cause for real panic at the Pauley Pavilion.

Currently the Bruins are an astonishing 172nd in the NET rankings, with an 0-4 record in Quad 1 games and 0-1 in Quad 3. They are down to 84 at KenPom, sandwiched between future Big Ten partners Indiana and Minnesota, and have the 151st ranked offense in the country.

Cronin has discussed multiple reasons for this team’s struggles, including a lack of disciplined players which resulted in freshman Sebastian Mack losing his starting role for being late to a meeting, as well as complaints about the school’s lack of NIL funding which made making transfer portal additions a struggle.

If Cronin truly feels he’s incapable of building a roster that can compete heading into the Big Ten, will he jump ship? Could Louisville entice him with an offer this offseason assuming they move on from Kenny Payne? Would being closer to his hometown of Cincinnati get a deal done?

Those are all things worth monitoring this offseason, but for now Cronin and the Bruins have just one objective: right the ship enough to still go dancing in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

The resume right now is, frankly, nowhere near an at-large bid, but picking up a handful of Quad 1 wins in conference play is certainly possible if this team can find a go-to scorer against teams like Colorado, Arizona State, USC, and of course Arizona.

UCLA has a few days off before heading to Corvallis to take on Oregon State on December 28 followed by Oregon two days later.

Picking up a pair of wins in the state of Oregon may not move the resume needle all that much, but it would at least end the calendar year on a high note for Cronin and the Bruins.

National commentator blasts UCLA basketball’s NIL failures, speculates about Mick Cronin

Doug Gottlieb did not hold back.

The outlook for UCLA basketball gets worse by the day. The Trojans lost their fourth straight game Friday night, and they absorbed a second straight home-court loss at Pauley Pavilion after winning their previous 29 games at home. Maryland — which, by the way, is not having a particularly good season — went into Westwood and handled the Bruins fairly easily, building a 20-point lead and eventually winning by a comfortable nine-point margin, 69-60.

UCLA’s offense is a disaster. The Bruins simply lack high-end scorers and shooters. They don’t have elite talent. This is UCLA basketball we’re talking about, and the Bruins have been very good in recent years. They made the Final Four in 2021. They were a top-four seed in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments. UCLA basketball is not a program we cheer for here at Trojans Wire, but objectively speaking, UCLA has been good, and when UCLA is good in basketball, it should not have any problem landing top talent. Yet, as we noted earlier this week, coach Mick Cronin basically conceded that the Bruins’ NIL operation is deficient and has failed to bring in elite transfers.

Following the Maryland loss, Doug Gottlieb of Fox Sports not only made light of the Bruins’ NIL problems; he said Mick Cronin might get restless as a result. That point might be going too far — we think Cronin loves living in Los Angeles and won’t want out of UCL — but the focus on UCLA’s NIL deficiencies is impossible to ignore right now. It offers a parallel to what USC football is going through, and it’s something we’re going to continue to talk about.

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UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin claims Bruins are losing battles for elite transfers due to NIL

Mick Cronin is really frustrated with UCLA’s NIL situation.

Just because a public figure says something, that doesn’t mean it is automatically true. However, when a public figure such as the coach of UCLA men’s basketball speaks, every word he says is going to be noticed and picked apart. If the coach chooses to say something in public, he is doing it for a reason. He is doing it because he knows he wants to get a certain reaction and create an intended effect or response.

UCLA men’s basketball coach Mick Cronin certainly appears to be expressing his frustration with the Bruins’ NIL operation. He is very clearly suggesting and implying that UCLA is being outspent for top transfer portal prospects. This is an indirect reference to the reality that UCLA is working with a young, inexperienced and — let’s all admit it — not very good team this season.

Cronin’s remarks drew a lot of attention (as intended). He was responding to a question from UCLA beat writer Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times:

Cronin used to coach at Cincinnati, so maybe his reference to the “Reds” is that UCLA is uncomfortably close to Cincinnati here instead of acting like a true heavyweight in NIL competitions for elite transfer prospects.

Whether you believe Cronin or not, it’s clear that UCLA’s NIL operation is not delivering elite results, much as USC football’s NIL setup is not winning battles against Phil Knight and the Oregon Ducks. It’s quite a story in college sports.

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