Roars rained down from every nook of Pauley Pavilion, each soul within the hallowed hoops area figuring out full effectively the result of the crosstown showdown and the convention title that got here with it rested squarely on her shoulders.
Some in cardinal and gold waited for deliverance, as if it was assured for USC.
Others in mild blue prayed for divine intervention, figuring out little else might save UCLA.
The sensation — of a complete area hanging on her each transfer — is so acquainted to JuJu Watkins.
She has survived her share of crucibles already at USC. However by no means earlier than in her two sensational seasons had a convention title come hooked up.
It had been 31 years, actually, since USC had earned a regular-season convention crown.
That championship, in 1994, arrived greater than a decade earlier than Watkins was born.
Nobody, many years from now, would dare debate the imprint that Watkins made on this convention title for USC, its first within the Huge Ten.
After a stellar 38-point efficiency of their memorable first assembly, Watkins poured in 30 extra Saturday evening, as No. 4 USC rolled by way of No. 2 UCLA 80-67 to take house the title.
Because the Trojans gathered close to middle court docket after the ultimate buzzer, they exploded with jubilation. Kiki Iriafen lifted coach Lindsay Gottlieb into the air. Quickly sufficient, a Huge Ten trophy joined her.
The victory capped a near-perfect season for USC and Gottlieb, who inherited a program in want of a full rebuild just some years in the past.
The arrival of Watkins supercharged that course of. However Saturday’s second half was a reminder concerning the significance of a powerful supporting forged.
Iriafen scored 17 factors, whereas USC’s protection performed a significant half in shutting down the Bruins’ main scorer, Lauren Betts, and discombobulating their offense.
USC guard JuJu Watkins, left, celebrates with teammates throughout a win over UCLA at Pauley Pavilion on Saturday evening.
(Mark J. Terrill / Related Press)
UCLA did its greatest to climb again, slicing USC’s result in simply 4 late within the third quarter, however the Trojans’ torrent proved an excessive amount of, as Watkins and Co. buried UCLA within the fourth.
Betts, a candidate for participant of the yr, as soon as once more struggled to ascertain herself within the publish the place she so usually has dominated. USC adopted the identical formulation that slowed her down when groups met Feb. 13, swarming the 6-foot-7 middle down low and forcing her to struggle by way of contact.
Her frustration mounted. Because the Trojans pummeled her within the paint, Betts was known as thrice for touring.
With out her at her greatest, there was little UCLA might do to stem the Trojans tide led by Watkins.
USC guard JuJu Watkins, left, blocks a shot by UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez through the first half Saturday.
(Mark J. Terrill / Related Press)
Immediately she regarded primed to choose up the place she left off of their first matchup, stepping up confidently to the three-point line on her first contact to hit from deep.
She solely picked up steam from there, scoring 13 within the first quarter to outpace her virtuoso efficiency in February’s win.
UCLA, by comparability, opened ice chilly, lacking seven straight photographs. The Bruins shook off the droop, however Watkins refused to let up. When Iriafen, the Trojans’ second-leading scorer, drew a 3rd foul early within the second quarter, USC’s star pushed the fuel pedal. Iriafen scored only a single bucket within the first half, whereas Watkins exploded for 23.
She slowed down within the second. However by that time, a Huge Ten title already was effectively in hand.
