The No.4 UCLA Bruins keeps rolling after beating the No.17 USC Trojans 80-46
UCLA Bruins #51 Lauren Betts (C) is going up strong for a shot attempt while being guarded by two USC Trojans’ defenders at Pauley Pavilion. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1 January 3, 2026.
WESTWOOD, CA - The No. 4-ranked UCLA Bruins had no problems with their cross-town rivals, the No.17-ranked USC Trojans, who got steamrolled 80-46 at Pauley Pavilion, with Lauren Betts leading the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds, Gianna Kneepkens with 15 points, Kiki Rice with 14 points, and Gabriela Jaquez with 12 points.
The Trojans struggled shooting against an top rank team, made 17 of 63 shots for 27 percent, 8 for 24 for three-point shooting, 33.3 percent, and Kara Dunn 4 for 11 with 11 points, Jazzy Davidson 4 for 15 with 10 points, Kennedy Smith 3 for 11 with 7 points, and former Bruin Londynn Jones 1 of 9, and 3 of 4 from the free throw line with 6 points.
UCLA shot the ball well, making 30 of their 57 shots for 52.6 percent, and dominated USC in the paint 42-10, and out rebounded the Trojans 46-26.
"Offense cannot be where we find our identity," Close said. "Bottom line is I didn't think we played well offensively."
In the first quarter, the game was close, ending in a 16-16 tie. Now in the second quarter, the Bruins began to pull away, leading 31-26 with a layup by Betts. UCLA increased its lead to thirteen points, 39-26, with a three-pointer by Charlisse Leger-Walker.
Kiki Rice would drive to the basket for a layup to give the Bruins a 43-28 lead at halftime.
USC Trojans #25 Kara Dunn (G) going up for a three-point shot in front of her beach while a UCLA Bruins’ defender is challenging the attempt at Pauley Pavilion. Photo by Jerry Kelly/TGSportstv1 January 3, 2026.
USC trailed in the third quarter 51-34 after Kennedy Smith would pull up for a jump shot from the right side of the court. With 2:21 left in the third quarter, Kara Dunn would down a three-pointer that had the Trojans trailing 61-39, before UCLA ended the quarter leading 65-40.
The Bruins' defense held the Trojans to six points in the fourth quarter, while scoring 15 points to secure an 80-46 win to improve their record to (14-1, 4-0, Big Ten), and USC fell to (10-4, 2-1, Big Ten).
“Obviously, this is not where we want to be in a game like this," USC Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb said on her team's performance. "Everything from disappointment to embarrassment, but we own it. They were the better team today. They were better by a lot.”
UCLA's next game will be Sunday, January 11, on the road against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and USC will host the Oregon Ducks on Tuesday, January 6, at the Galen Center.