No. 1 UCLA ends its run as nation’s lone unbeaten team with upset loss to crosstown rival USC
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The unbeaten streak is over for UCLA.
The top-ranked Bruins lost 71-60 to sixth-ranked USC and JuJu Watkins on Thursday night, ending their school-record run of 23 consecutive victories to open the season. They were the nation’s last undefeated women’s team.
Their roll included taking down then-No. 1 South Carolina at Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 24, which began the Bruins’ stretch of 12 straight weeks atop the AP Top 25.
“It sucks right now but can’t sit and sulk forever,” a downcast Kiki Rice said.
The Bruins (23-1, 11-1 Big Ten) have five games remaining in the regular season, including hosting No. 22 Michigan State on Sunday. They’ll face Watkins and the Trojans again on March 1 — their only repeat opponent in league play — before the crosstown rivals compete for the first time in the Big Ten Tournament.
“I’m sure there’ll be a lot on the line in that game,” said Rice, who had 15 points and six assists.
Against the Trojans at sold-out Galen Center, UCLA was held to a season-low 60 points — well off its 86.6 average. Its 35% shooting was a season-worst, too.
The Bruins were dominated in the fourth quarter, missing their first eight shots and finishing 2 of 16. They were outscored 24-8, including 11-2 to end the game.
“We got out-toughed in the fourth quarter,” Bruins coach Cori Close said. “We didn’t do things together when it got really hard.”
Watkins lived up to her star billing with 38 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high eight blocked shots for the Trojans (22-2, 12-1), who knocked UCLA into second place in the league standings.
“If she’s able to get to the eight-foot box, she’s almost unstoppable,” Close said. “When we didn’t get rebounds and didn’t get quality shots, then they started getting out in transition and then it was hard for us to set our defense.”
Lauren Betts, the Big Ten’s second-leading scorer behind Watkins, led the Bruins with 18 points and 13 rebounds. She was double- and triple-teamed in the post, with USC’s 6-foot-6 Clarice Akunwafo turning in a memorable defensive performance against the 6-7 Betts.
“I got to be better, period,” Betts said. “Toward the end I was just forcing a lot of tough shots.”
Led by Watkins’ spirited play, the Trojans took a 24-15 lead after one quarter. She scored all of USC’s 14 points in the second — including a 3-pointer that provided their largest lead of 14 points — and they were ahead 38-35 at halftime.
The Bruins opened the third with a 10-0 run as Betts scored seven points. They held USC to just nine points and went into the fourth leading 52-47.
Watkins slipped as she scored inside, then stole the ball and scored on USC’s next possession. The sophomore raised her arms as the crowd roared.
The Bruins couldn’t make a basket and missed 5 of 9 free throws in the fourth.
Now, they’ll need to regroup with the postseason just a few weeks away.
“There’s no time to be in the pity pond,” Close said. “Coach Kay Yow used to say you can swish your feet in the pity pond but no swimming laps.”
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By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
