La Jolla, CA- The Genesis Invitational looks prime for a new champion with Fifty-four (54) players making the 36-hole cut at 4-over-par 148. Davis Thompson had a great going 6 under Friday finishing with (-8 under-par) to hold a one-shot lead going into the weekend.
“Yeah, felt like I hit the ball great at the start, hit a lot of fairways and greens,” said Thompson, “It’s kind of like steady golf on the front and kind of a rollercoaster on the back.”
Scottie Scheffler is one-shot off from Thompson keeping himself at top of leader board. Despite the wet conditions he was able to have a bogey-free round on the South course at Torrey Pines. His short game work was seen through out the round and paid off with 3 birdies and an eagle.
Photo by Cole Perez / fi360 News
“I felt like I was out of position a lot today, but did a good job of muscling some shots up there on the green and getting up and down when I needed to as well,” said Scheffler “I’m pretty satisfied with the way I scored today,”
Sitting three shots behind the World No. 3 Rory Mcllroy at (-5 under-par) in striking distance with two rounds left. Coming off playing Pebble Beach the other week to now similar Poa small greens targets has played in his favor thus far.
“I think you have to be just so accepting on greens like this. Today I did my best to roll the ball on the right line and try to get the right speed and thankfully a few went in,” said McIlroy.
Photo by Cole Perez / fi360 News
Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama (T34/+2) followed an opening-round 74 with a second-round 72 just hanging around. Even with last year win the course if way different.
This small group of players have made the adjustment of playing Genesis at Torey verse its home in the ravished Pacific Palisades. Due to the fires it was best to move this year tournament from the Riveria to the South Course. The Invitational being such a big part of PGA West Coast swing it would been a shame to skip past it this season.
Photo by Cole Perez / fi360 News
The Riviera Country Club Club’s ownership and golf legend Tiger Woods have stepped up in a powerful show of support to aid in recovery efforts. It was announced that the club will donate $1,000,000 to local rebuilding initiatives said RCC CEO Megan Watanbe.
Chairman of The Riviera Country Club, Noboru Watanabe, said “We are devastated for those who have been affected by the Los Angeles fires. We will do our best to support our community in the recovery efforts.”
JuJu driving to the basket. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Los Angeles, CA – Kicking off a national holiday weekend, JuJu Watkins gave a big block party to No.1 UCLA, serving them with a 38 piece and 11 boards plus 5 assists to stop the Bruins’ undefeated season run.
Handing USC’s sold-out crowd of 10,258 a parting gift for weathering LA rain with a 71-60 win, Watkins and Women of Troy made their case for bragging rights of the best LA women’s college basketball team until their rematch in March at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
With much excitement in the building and signs made for Watkins, Thursday night turned into a pre-Valentine celebration, as tons of Hollywood celebrities, including Watkins’ favorite from the movie, Love and Basketball, Sanaa Lathan, showed love.
In addition, WNBA star and newly acquired by The Los Angeles Sparks Kelsey Plum, NFL’s Offensive Rookie Of the Year Jayden Daniels, and USC Women of Troy alumni all came out to support women’s college basketball. In return, they all got to witness Watkins’ outstanding all-around game performance with a “youthful joy” as she put it.
“It has been a tough couple of weeks for me,” Watkins said. “But there’s a lesson in everything and I’m trusting the process.”
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Perhaps one of her most electrifying, career-defining performances against the lauded competition, Watkins shot 6-8 from threes, carrying her team the first half of the game and throughout most of the second half.
“When you have people like that show up, you can’t disappoint, Watkins said. “I mean Sanaa Lathan, shout out to Monica.”
Senior backup center, Clarice Akunwafo, whom had not notice Watkins’ shooting slump, praised her teammate for her unheralded efforts like help defense that resulted into a total of 8 blocks for Watkins.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
“Thank you for having my back, she had my back throughout the game,” Akunwafo said. UCLA’s starting center, Lauren Betts, came in the game dominating but a quick substitution midway first quarter to insert Akunwafo, slowed Betts down, pushing her away from the basket to eventually on the bench by the end of the first half. This allowed USC to push the tempo by playing 4 guards and 1 big.
“It was just a clinic in post defense, that we will be talking about years from now,” Gottlieb said. “My husband texted me right after the game that they will remember Clarice after this game,”
Betts still finished the game with a double-double, 18 points and 11 boards.
Betts goes up for a shot. Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
“I’ve got to do better, period,” Betts said.
Women of Troy had not defeated a No.1 ranked team in over 40 years and this was their first time on their home court. Despite its historic rivalry, neither team coach wanted to overhype this game’s outcome.
“We have Michigan State coming up this Sunday,” UCLA’s coach Cori Close said. “I learned this from legendary coach Kay Yow you can’t swim laps in a pity pond.”
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
For USC, “We’ve had two losses that we didn’t feel good about, Gottlieb said. “Now they’re going to have it too.”
Meanwhile, Watkins and Women of Troy could have their feet back in the pool of top-five rankings as they prepare to hit the road against Washington on Sunday.
Genesis, TGR LIVE and PGA TOUR launch California Rises initiative at The Genesis Invitational to support those affected by the California wildfires.
Proceeds of California Rises will go to four charitable organizations: the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, the California Fire Foundation and the Genesis Inspiration Foundation.
Due to the wildfires and out of respect to those affected, the 2025 Genesis Invitational was relocated from its home at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California to the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego and is being played during its original dates.
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 11, 2025 – In response to the recent wildfire devastation in the Los Angeles area and across California, Genesis, TGR Live and the PGA TOUR are launching the California Rises initiative at the 2025 Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines Golf Course to drive relief and recovery efforts for affected communities. As part of the California Rises initiative, Genesis is donating $8 million in 100 tournament vehicles and cash contributions and the Tiger Woods-hosted PGA TOUR event will serve as a platform to highlight the remarkable stories of resilience and response from the community, first responders and charitable organizations.
“We all want to help after the devastating wildfires. Southern California is our home and the location of our North American headquarters and design studio,” said José Muñoz, president and global chief executive officer, Genesis. “We are contributing $8 million dollars in car and cash donations to support organizations instrumental in the relief and rebuilding efforts. Together with our partners at TGR Live and the PGA TOUR, the focus of the 2025 Genesis Invitational will be helping those affected by the wildfires through California Rises.”
“The Genesis Invitational has called Los Angeles home for nearly a century and has a long-standing history of positively impacting the community,” said Mike Antolini, tournament director of The Genesis Invitational. “Although we are not at Riviera this year, we are proud to be part of California Rises in support of the relief efforts.”
“The game of golf has always played a role in bringing people together for a common cause, and the PGA TOUR is proud to support the efforts of the California Rises initiative at The Genesis Invitational,” said Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA TOUR. “We commend Genesis, Tiger Woods and TGR Live for their leadership and we are grateful to Farmers Insurance®, Mayor Todd Gloria and the City of San Diego and the Century Club for their collective efforts as we relocated The Genesis Invitational to Torrey Pines.”
Image by Jonas Never @never1959 (Instagram)
California Rises
Inspired by the strength and hope of the Greater Los Angeles community, Genesis’ charitable initiative, California Rises, will aid in the rebuilding efforts as a result of the California wildfires that devastated the region in January. California Rises will raise funds for the American Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, California Fire Foundation, and the Genesis Inspiration Foundation. These organizations have already made significant impacts in the wildfire response and will continue to play an important role in the ongoing recovery efforts. The Genesis Inspiration Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to connecting youth to the transformative power of the arts, will support arts education programs at schools impacted by the fires.
California Rises follows the brand’s previous actions in response to the wildfires, donating funds for immediate disaster relief and recovery efforts supporting evacuees and first responders in January. The brand’s Southern California retailer partners have also contributed $150,000 to date. These contributions and vehicle donations made by Genesis will exceed more than $8 million donated to wildfire relief.
The Genesis Invitational will feature a number of initiatives and activations, giving players, fans and tournament supporters an opportunity to support California Rises.
During tournament competition (Thursday, February 13 through Sunday, February 16), every shot will have extra incentive through “Birdies for Good.” For every birdie and eagle made during The Genesis Invitational, $300 will be donated to California Rises, with $10,000 donated should a hole-in-one occur.
Ticket fees from all tickets purchased for the 2025 tournament will be donated to the California Rises initiative, and tournament attendees can purchase California Rises merchandise available at the tournament shop and Torrey Pines pro shop, with 100% of the proceeds going to charity.
Throughout the course there will be links to the donation site (pgatour.com/CaliforniaRises). Additionally in the Genesis Lounge, located on the 9th tee, fans can send a thank you note to first responders at Postcards from the Tee.
The annual collectible Genesis Invitational poster from acclaimed L.A. artist, Jonas Never, has shifted from its traditional golf theme to a custom California Rises piece featuring the Genesis golf bear hugging the state of California.
In addition to charitable donations, The Genesis Invitational will highlight first responders, front-line workers and those personally affected by the wildfires. First responders and firefighters from California will be on-site as guests of the tournament with exclusive access, including spots in the official tournament pro-am, interactions with PGA TOUR players and special recognition throughout the week as a thank you for their services.
Their stories, and those of the four California Rises beneficiaries, will be highlighted during the live tournament broadcast on GOLF Channel, CBS and PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ and across PGA TOUR social platforms.
The Genesis Invitational week will also feature the debut of Chippin’ In, a PGA TOUR Studios original content series starring Jason Kennedy and Jimmy Darts that blends playful competition with captivating conversation and a significant charitable impact. The pilot episode will feature PGA TOUR players and California natives Max Homa and Collin Morikawa as the group raises money for the California Fire Foundation, as part of Genesis’ monetary commitment to California Rises and with support from FedEx. Filmed on Monday of tournament week on Torrey Pines’ North Course, the episode will debut on Thursday on PGA TOUR YouTube and PGA TOUR FAST Channel, with additional content featured across TOUR social platforms and in live coverage of The Genesis Invitational on GOLF Channel and CBS.
To learn more or contribute to California Rises, please visit pgatour.com/CaliforniaRises.
About The Genesis Invitational One of the most historic and longest-running events on the PGA TOUR, The Genesis Invitational celebrates its 99th playing, Feb. 13-16, 2025. The tournament’s title sponsor is Genesis, a global automotive brand that delivers the highest standards of performance, design, and innovation. For more information about The Genesis Invitational, visit GenesisInvitational.com and follow the tournament on Facebook, X and Instagram @TheGenesisInv.
About PGA TOUR By showcasing golf’s greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires and positively impacts our fans, partners and communities worldwide.
The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Americas and administers PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry and PGA TOUR University. TOUR members represent the world’s best players, hailing from 28 countries and territories. Showcasing the biggest moments in the sport with history and legacy on the line, the PGA TOUR has long-term domestic distribution partnerships for broadcast coverage on CBS, NBC and Golf Channel and video streaming service on ESPN+. Internationally, PGA TOUR coverage is available across 200+ countries and territories in 30 languages via 44 broadcast and digital partners. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $4 billion.
LinkedIn, TikTok, X (in English, Spanish and Japanese); the PGA TOUR Channel on Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) platforms such as the Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, PlutoTV, Xumo, LG Channels, Tubi, Amazon’s Freevee, FireTV and Alexa devices; and WhatsApp (in English and Spanish), WeChat, Weibo, Toutiao and Douyin.
Genesis Motor North America
Genesis is a new global automotive brand that delivers the highest standards of design, safety, refined performance, and innovation while looking towards a more sustainable future. Drawing from its cultural heritage and distinctly Korean hospitality, Genesis crafts experiences focused on customers as “son-nim”, or honored guests.
Genesis Motor North America offers a growing range of award-winning SUV, sedan, and electric models through its network of more than 200 independent U.S. retailers, in addition to its more than 30 Canadian agency distributors. Genesis now counts more than 60 standalone retail facilities across the North American region, with dozens more in development. Consumers can discover the brand through its many retail points, at Genesis House, the brand’s flagship space in New York City, or online at www.genesis.com.
USC returned to the Galen Center after splitting their last two Big 10 road games with another dominant win against Ohio State Buckeyes. Women of Troy rallied in 2nd half to seal an 84 – 63 victory, preparing for an upcoming crosstown rivalry matchup against UCLA this Thursday.
Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb praised her team’s toughness, opening up the post-game press conference with this statement, “A really big win for this team, for our program, we know how good Ohio State is and all the implications kind on the line with both team records,” she added, “I thought this was a game we dominated in the inside with our offensive rebounds and our production from the front court and knocked down a bunch of threes.”
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff had this to say after receiving his 2nd road Conference loss within a week by two Southern Cal teams, “We got our [expletive] kicked on the boards. We’re not going to be able to compete or fight let alone beat a team like USC, ” Coach McGuff explained, “Two they beat us to every loose ball. Lastly, we forced them to 23 turnovers but we did not do a good job of converting them into points.”
Coach McGuff noted his team forced USC to turn the ball over many times yet did not capitalize and score similar to what he felt happened against their previous opponent UCLA.
“Well one of our keys to the game and scout for today was to dominate the boards and I think we did just that—dominate,” Senior forward KikI Iriafen continued, “ it was on my mind and I think we have great players that are versatile as we had a lot of guards almost in double-digit [rebounds] as well,” Iriafen said.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Ohio State coaches and their players both expected Sophomore elite scorers, JuJu Watkins and Iriafen to impact the game but acknowledged the major difference by freshman Kennedy Smith made on both ends of the floor.
“Kennedy is just really, really, really special and you see it when we ask her to guard an incredibly fast kid in the full court against [Jaloni] Cambridge or matchup with Cotie [McMahon], who is strong,” Gottlieb said,” coming in as a freshmen I don’t know if I’ve had a better just instinctive, smart, talented defender and that’s not all she is…she’s a versatile mismatch nightmare, she can post up, she can shoot the three, really good at moving the ball and I think we’ve only just begun to see what she’s capable of though I don’t know if it’s a surprise for people in our locker room.”
USC started off sluggish, missing layups and unforced turnovers, taking only an 8-point lead into the first half. Ohio State, used their quickness and athleticism to their advantage, scoring 18 points in the paint, with their 3 small guards and versatile forwards looking to draw fouls while attacking the basket. Women of Troy attempted to match this intense energy with 12 points in the paint and in contrast, 14 free throws from their aggressiveness. USC led 34 – 26, shooting 32 percent into halftime. Three-pointers were huge momentum shifts for USC, as freshmen Avery Powell and Smith, hit one apiece along with starting point guard, Talia Von Oelhoffen in the first half.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Women of Troy’s offense heated up early in the second half as their defense caused more turnovers for Buckeyes, stretching that lead margin to pull away with the game. With 2:00, left in the 3rd, Watkins connected finally on her first made field goal of the game, after making only two free throws in first half.
Smith resumed picking up the slack for her struggling teammate off shooting night possibly from what appeared as her jamming her finger in the first play of the game. However, after Smith scored six in the first half and zero in the third quarter while taking no shot attempts, she took over in the 4th with a perfect 2-2 from the field, 1-1 from triples, 2-3 from the charity stripe along with four assists to register her first career double-double and the third player in the game for USC.
Iriafen led all scorers with 24 points, logging another double-double as well with 13 rebounds and four assists.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Rebounds played a pivotal role in the game, with USC grabbing 62 in total. Five USC players racked up eight or more, while Ohio State had no player with more than five. Rebounding negated Ohio State’s defensive pressure and fast pace led to 23 USC turnovers compared to Ohio State’s 10.
Ohio State (20-3, 9-3)was led by Taylor Thierry with 14 points and 5 assists, who also matched up with Watkins most of the game before fouling out. McMahon and Chance Gray each added 13 and 12 points, respectively. USC height and length seem to be a factor, particularly in the second half, when they denied Ohio State with six blocks, and ten for the game. Ohio State also struggled from the arc, only connecting twice on 11 attempts, hitting only one triple each half.
Next up, USC will return home to play in their 1st matchup of the season against rival and No. 1 ranked nationally as well as Big 10, UCLA Bruins at the Galen Center, Thursday, at 7 pm. Then back on the road to matchup against Washington on Feb. 16th, at 4 p.m.
Westwood, Ca – A noonday game to celebrate Black excellence on a Sunday, the second day in Black History month, Minnesota Golden Gophers visited Pauley Pavilion to face an uphill battle against the undefeated No.1 UCLA Lady Bruins with both teams’ rosters composed of Black excellence. Despite an explosive start, the Golden Gophers fizzled out, eventually falling, 79-53, handing Lady Bruins their 9th victory in the Big Ten Conference and 21st for the season.
Both teams traded baskets after the first quarter before UCLA ultimately got it rolling with their ball pressure defense and depth bench play. The Lady Bruins outscored Golden Gophers 46-25 in the second half, reassuring their home crowd they’re a number 1 team for a reason and defending home court after not having a home game in 31 days.
Betts being triple-teamed. Photo by Jevone Moore
“It is so good to be back in Pauley,’ Coach Cori Close said. “The reason we have not been here for over a month is because of what our great city has been going through and I think there has to be a sense of humility.”
Coach Close continued expressing humility with gratitude for all the people fighting to rebuild then shifting that gratitude to serving and coaching players like KiKi Rice as acknowledgement of Black excellence during this month.
“KiKi Rice’s elite work ethic has created a culture in our program that you feel left out if you’re not doing the extra work,” Coach Close acclaimed. “I am a really fortunate coach to be involved incredibly in the precious lives of the most diverse sport in college Athletics. Women’s basketball has been the most diverse sport in college Athletics for over a decade and 67% of those are Black women and today is about Black excellence but in the broader scope I think it’s how do you value someone and honor someone that’s different than you.”
Junior forward Rice who scored 14 points off 6-8 shooting, showcased not only her Black excellence but her leadership by influence that her coach raved about being an example rather than having a boisterous voice as she took over the challenge to slow down the hot shooting of Golden Gophers’ Amaya Battle.
Photo by Jevone Moore
Battle finished the first half with 17 points with efficient shooting, 8-10. For most of the game, Junior guard Londynn Jones and her went at each other starting off the game with each knocking down a 3-point bucket out the gate. But Battle got the best of Jones as Jones spent most of the game figuring out how to contain Battle before helping her team get a win.
Still Battle led all scorers with 21 points for the game but was limited to only four second -half points.
“Battle’s a great player and had a great game,” said Rice. Rice and junior center Lauren Betts both were in the same recruiting class as Battle along with forward Janiah Barker.
Photo by Jevone Moore
Though Betts was limited in scoring, yet she was able to contribute offensively, dishing out 11 assists to keep her team in position to earn another homecourt victory in conference play.
“Lauren is so dominant and arguably the most dominant on both sides of the floor, ” Close said. She stepped up to the challenge and it speaks volumes to how dominant she’s been and how selfless she is to be able to facilitate for her team.“
Betts ended the game with six points, six rebounds, to help her team hold the Gophers to ten points in the third quarter, entering the fourth quarter with a 15 point lead after only leading by 5 at halftime.
Photo by Jevone Moore
UCLA continued their run in the fourth quarter, improving their field goal percentage and outrebounding the Golden Gophers slightly to seal the win with 10 of 11 players tallying up points, led by Freshman guard Elina Aarnisalo, 15 points and five rebounds. Jones added 13 points.
UCLA returns back to Pauley to face off with No 8 Ohio State and Oregon before going against crosstown rival No. 4 USC.
UCLA Divine 9 at the game representing Black Excellence. Photo by Jevone Moore
Los Angeles, CA- Women of Troy were without their starting center and still able to out rebound despite a tough shooting night from their leading scorer to beat Minnesota, 82-69 at the Galen Center for their 8th straight home game win.
KiKi Iriafen appeared ready from the tunnel to pick up any slack for her missing Senior frontcourt teammate, Rayah Marshall, with almost recording double-digit rebounds by halftime. Adding back-to-back three-pointers to top off an 18-3 run before Minnesota forced a couple of turnovers to respond with their short run of 8 straight points at the end of the first quarter.
Photo by Jevone Moore
Inserting Clarice Akunwafo to matchup against Minnesota Golden Gophers’ Sophie Hart turned out to be a great call by coach Lindsay Gottlieb rather than going with a smaller lineup as Hart proved to be a tall task all game.
“We didn’t know Rayah wasn’t going to play until this morning so I thought other people stepped up, finding different ways to win” Coach Gottlieb said while grappling about her team’s first half effort.”At the same time I think our standards are really high and we could have been cleaner defensively and offensively.”
Coach Gottlieb praised her freshmen for seizing their opportunity to play more minutes, particularly Kennedy Smith and Avery Powell, whose combined effort on both ends of the court helped their team to never allow Minnesota to take a lead as they trailed the entire game.
More team positivity displayed, when JuJu Watkins, got it going from the field, opening the second half with her only triple of the game. After going 0-10 in the first half, Watkins determined to fight perhaps road fatigue on a night when another opponent’s team defense seemed to concentrate solely on her to find a way to score and continue her streak of double digit scoring now in all 20 games.
“I thought her [JuJu] teammates really lifted her up, and the fact people are going to continue to give us open threes when she’s crowded and stuff, and we continue to knock them down as this is the second game I believe in a row we’ve made 11 threes, Gottlieb explained. “She is a very mentally tough human being and basketball player, who finds a way to figure it out.”
Photo by Jevone Moore
USC owned the third quarter just about putting the game away once freshman Avery Howell hit back to back threes for her third of the game to extend USC’s lead to 17. Howell was the third player to finish in double-digits for USC while Talia Von Oelhoffen started the game with scoring 8 points in the first half before finding herself limited due to foul trouble.
“We had a week off but I honestly like working as a team to get better and what we need to do to grow, taking one day at a time, is most important,” Howell said.
Golden Gophers Hart’s solid post play resulted in 18 points, while Amaya Battle and Mallory Heyer contributed 14 and 17, respectively, to score in double-figures, pushing USC to play their starters almost the entire game. Iriafen, Smith and Watkins scored up into the final seconds of the game, to hold on to a double-digit scoring margin, continuing a 15 game winning streak, 9th Big 10 conference win.
Kiki Iraifen after making a three pointer. Photo by Jevone Moore
KiKi Iraifen led all scorers with 23 points and 11 rebounds, her seventh double-double, on an efficient shooting night, hitting 9-11, including 2 for 2 from beyond the arc, with 3-4 free throws. This is the second time that Iriafen and Watkins have recorded double-doubles in the same game. Watkins has made one 3-pointer and one block in the last ten games.
USC will hit the road for a pair of Big 10 conference games, first being against Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 2nd, which Iowa plans to retire their former player and current WNBA Fever player Caitlin Clark’s jersey. Next stop, Women of Troy will travel to Wisconsin to face the Badgers on Feb. 5.
Los Angeles, CA- UCLA picked up another big performance from Aday Mara as the Bruins dominated from nearly start to finish in the Crosstown Rivalry vs. USC. The Trojans’ late second half comeback wouldn’t be enough as the Bruins came out on top 82-76 on Monday night at the Galen Center.
The Bruins have now won five of their last seven games against the Trojans. UCLA enjoyed a productive start from Mara at the center position. Mara finished with a double-double, putting up 12 points and 11 rebounds, and five blocks. It’s the third straight game with Mara finishing with double-digit points as he fills in for the injured Tyler Bilodeau.
UCLA head coach Mick Cronin said Mara’s confidence grew as the game progressed, which helped after a slow start from the seven-foot-three Spanish center.
Jan Kim Lim, UCLA Athletics
“The big thing with a young kid like him is that I had to tell the players to tell him to keep shooting. He missed a few early and he didn’t want to shoot after that. I’m making the team tell him in the time outs to keep shooting. They know he’s a scorer because they see him every day in practice,” Cronin said.
With the win, it extends UCLA’s win streak to four games as they continue to build up an NCAA tournament resume amidst tough matchups in conference play.
“We just won two in a row on the road without our leading scorer. Not many teams in the country are going to win on the road in a rivalry game against a great coach, a heck of a team of older guys, without their leading scorer,” Cronin said. “Happy is an understatement. Different guys [stepped up] at different times.”
Despite the loss, USC guard Wesley Yates III continues to shine in his extended role this season. The redshirt freshman saw his minutes slowly increase this season after Terrance Williams II suffered an injury in early December. Yates III had 19 points on 7-14 shooting from the field.
“I have to find ways to impact the game without scoring. Rebounds, deflections, whatever my team needs to get the win. The work that I put in is showing, even when I wasn’t playing earlier in the season. Once I keep working, I’m going to keep playing better,” Yates said.
UCLA jumped out to an early 16-9 lead within the first seven minutes of the first half. The Trojans would pull within a point after a Saint Thomas layup with 7:54 left, but UCLA would extend their lead back up to five points to close out the half.
The beginning of the second half was dominated by the Bruins as UCLA enjoyed a comfortable double-digit lead for the first ten minutes. However, USC did not go down quietly and came back after facing a 15-point deficit in the second half.
Yates III would go 1-2 at the line after a UCLA shooting foul to make the game 73-72 with 2:39 left to go.
UCLA rose to the occasion and went on a 13-4 run to close out the game in the final two minutes to escape the Galen Center with the win.
Long Beach, CA- It was a tale of two halves though, as during the second half Long Beach State came back out of the locker rooms swinging. The team started to slowly take control, with 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Long Beach re-took the lead after trailing almost the entire game, and they never looked back defeating Cal State Northridge Matadors 88-75.
Spearheaded by the tremendous play of forward Jada Crawshaw, she was tenacious on both sides of the court contributing 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Photo by Chanel Foster / fi360 News
“The key word tonight offensively was composure,” said senior Rachel Loobie.
Long Beach showed a lot of composure during that final stretch of the game, coming up big with defensive stops, and limiting the hot scoring Northridge to only 8 points in the 4th quarter.
“I feel like just going back to our principles, they came out strong in the first half, but our coaches gave us our regular principles and reminded us to come out strong and shoot our shots [in the second half],” said Guard Savannah Tucker who lead the team in scoring with 24 points, reflecting on the comeback after the game.
Photo by Chanel Foster / fi360 News
The night started off in Long Beach’s favor, as they won the opening tipoff and were first on the scoreboard. It was short lived however, as the Matadors quickly went on a run, taking advantage of Long Beach’s miscues to seize the lead and hold onto it into the halftime whistle. By the time the halftime buzzer rang, Long Beach found itself in a hole, down 45-32.
The win brings Long Beach record to 11-6 overall, and 7-1 in the Big West conference, and leaves them in second place on the table.
Photo by Chanel Foster / fi360 News
This dramatic showdown at home Long Beach State women’s basketball team showcasing their mental fortitude and resilience as they fought back from a big deficit to overcome Northridge. The victory makes it two in a row for Long Beach.
Long Beach returns to action on Saturday January 25th, as they host the Cal Poly Mustangs, and they look to carry over the momentum and make it 3 wins in a row and continue their quest for a championship.
USC Trojans vs Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena on January 22, 2025. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)
West Lafayette- The Lady Trojans of USC extended their winning streak to 14 games with a dominant 79-37 victory over the Purdue Lady Boilermakers in West Lafayette. Despite trailing at the end of the first quarter, USC’s lockdown defense and explosive offense fueled a commanding performance on their cold Midwest road trip.
Purdue started strong, led by Destini Lombard’s eight points in the first quarter, helping the Boilermakers take a slim 16-15 lead. However, Lombard was held scoreless for the rest of the game, and Purdue never regained control after their brief first-quarter advantage. USC responded with an impressive 50-12 run over the next two quarters, including a nearly unprecedented 31-2 lockdown in the second quarter.
USC Trojans vs Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena on January 22, 2025. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)
USC forward Kiki Iriafen contributed seven points before leaving the game with an ankle injury in the second quarter, but her absence did little to slow the Trojans. Freshman Avery Howell stepped up with a career-high 18 points, 10 of which came during the dominant second quarter. Howell connected on four of seven shots from beyond the arc, while JuJu Watkins added 16 points and Kennedy Smith chipped in with 12, hitting three of five from three-point range.
The Lady Trojans’ defense was the story of the game, holding Purdue to just two points in the second quarter and limiting their offensive production throughout. Offensively, Watkins delivered electrifying moments, including a coast-to-coast play off a missed free throw by Purdue’s Jordan Poole that brought the crowd to its feet. Watkins showcased why she’s considered one of the top players in women’s college basketball.
USC Trojans vs Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena on January 22, 2025. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)
After their decisive second quarter, USC coasted through the second half, maintaining control and cruising to victory. The Lady Trojans return home next to face a ranked Minnesota team in Big Ten action, aiming to extend their winning streak to 15 games.
USC Trojans vs Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena on January 22, 2025. (photo by Andre Hollis / fi360 News)
Los Angeles, CA – 12 days into this new year, another week of wildfires in Southern California, and USC ignites crowd of local communities at Galen Center including Women of Troy alumni, en route a 12-game winning streak led by #12 JuJu Watkins’ blazing 35 points to beat Penn State, 95-73.
“So many people have lost so much and we 100 percent recognize sports and Athletics are not bigger than those real-world things,“ Coach Gottlieb acknowledged her and her team’s appreciation plus approach during wildfires. “At the same what is important at this time is community and the feeling of it. “
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Going by numbers, it appeared to be JuJu’s community day as she finished the first half of the game with 22 points. Watkins, one of the few local products on the team’s roster shared her personal impact from LA County’s current crisis.
“This week has been hard for LA and for me too,” JuJu explained. “We’ve been doing the best we can to stay locked in and have as much as positivity as possible because this [too] shall pass.”
Watkins encouraged by her faith, ended on an efficient shooting night, 13-15 from the field, 7-9 for free throws, and 2-3 for triples. Filling up the stat sheet, she added a double digit rebounding effort, along with five steals, and 3 apiece in assists as well as blocks. Showcasing an all-around effort for her fans fighting on in midst of local climate chaos.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Though it was announced this past weekend of another Big 10 Conference opponent, Northwestern, forgoing their west coast travels scheduled this upcoming week for both matches against USC and UCLA, Penn State opted to play this week in both schools, respectively. Penn State remaining winless in conference play after succumbing to USC, competed much of the first half while overcoming early fouls. Watkins nor her teammates offered any sympathy for Penn St. resuming the second half where they left off, on an 18-0 run, with a layup by JuJu after a steal mid-court to continue piling up points.
“I’m very prayerful and JuJu along with Coach G kind of touched on it, but if we can give people some way of escape and put smiles on their faces by playing for two hours, then I’m super grateful to do that,” Senior Graduate transfer, KiKi Iriafen, said.
Iriafen scored 28 points, shooting efficiently as JuJu, though mostly midrange shots and 4-6 from the charity stripe. The Lady Lions desperately had no answer for Women of Troy’s Batman and Robin combination despite the remaining team’s shooting woes, hitting only 12 field goals off 31 percent. Despite USC as a team misfiring offensively, their team’s defense and transition game kept them in comfortable distance as they forced 21 turnovers by the Lady Lions while holding them under 40 percent shooting.
Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News
Lady Lions were led by Freshman guard Talayah Walker’s impressive 18-point outing, her second consecutive double-digit scoring performance along with five rebounds and four assists. However, USC crushed any dreams of a final quarter run or comeback when freshman guard Kennedy Smith opened the fourth quarter with a scoring dagger for her fifth point of the game.
Nine Women of Troy scored to sum up the team’s 95 points while only JuJu and KiKi reached double digits to continue their 17-game streak of both scoring double figures. Kayleigh Heckel came off the bench and scored 9 points. In addition, Talia Von Oelhoffen contributed 6 points in 22 minutes.
USC returns to action back on the road next week, headed to Bloomington to resume Big 10 conference play versus Indiana on Jan. 19, following, Purdue on Jan. 22. This will mark USC’s first-ever visits to the Lady Hoosiers and Boilermakers.
