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From the start, it seemed inevitable that the Big Ten Tournament would be decided by another matchup between USC and UCLA. Despite some exciting games along the way, these are the two teams that everyone wanted to see play against each other for the Big Ten title on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
The Trojans and Bruins finished No. 1 and No. 2 in the regular season, and so far, USC has maintained dominance, winning both games. While UCLA has yet to defeat their inner-city rival this season, they’re a formidable opponent. A win on Sunday would be some sweet revenge for the Bruins and could be enough to have them jump in front of the Trojans in the national rankings.
Here are the keys to the game for each team:
How USC can sweep UCLA
Make no mistake about it: winning three straight against the Bruins will not be easy. Luckily, the Trojans have plenty of evidence that they can get it done.
They’ll need JuJu Watkins to continue her National Player of the Year-worthy season with another great game. The last time she played UCLA, she was as dominant as ever. Watkins ended the night with 30 points, walking out of the Pauley Pavilion letting the UCLA faithful know she won the title on their floor.
Though Watkins is amazing, she alone won’t be enough to beat UCLA. They’ll need Kiki Iriafen to have a double-double, Talia von Oelhoffen to offer some clutch shooting and Rayah Marshall to grab some key rebounds to get the win. If the Trojans do all that, they can end the LA trilogy with a sweep.
How UCLA can beat USC
Can the third time be the charm for the Bruins?
If so, they’ll need to find Lauren Betts early and often. UCLA struggled to do this in their last matchup against the Trojans, as their star center didn’t really get any good looks at the basket until the second half. That can’t happen on Sunday if they want the outcome to change.
Defensively, things need to be catered around making Watkins work for everything. She needs to doubled often and denied the ball as much as possible. Let someone else from USC have a monster game by daring them to hit wide-open shots. Offensively, the guard trio of Gabriela Jaquez, Londynn Jones and Kiki Rice has to step up as well. Betts might be the epicenter, but she cannot be the end all be all. Her teammates have to knock down their shots and keep USC working defensively, not only in the paint but also around the perimeter.
Regardless of the result, one thing is certain: This game will be entertaining. Let’s see who comes out on top.
Game information
No. 2-seed UCLA Bruins (29-2, 16-2) vs. No. 1-seed USC Trojans (28-2, 17-1)
When: Sunday, Mar. 9 at 4:30 p.m. ET
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
How to watch: CBS/Paramount+
