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Bruins bittersweet beatdown on Scarlet Knights and former associate head coach

By
Charle' Moore
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Photo by Jevone Moore

Westwood, CA- No. 2 UCLA ruined Rutgers Associate Head Coach Shannon LeBeauf’s return to Pauley Pavilion on Wednesday against her former team with a 40-point blowout, 86-46 after presenting her with 2025 Final Four rings.  

“Shannon, I remember when she called me,” UCLA Head Coach Cori Close said. “I remember the day I remember where I was…I’ve literally known

Shannon since she was in high school and I remember Pam said to me, “Man, if you could get Shannon to come here, like I recruited her when I was assistant here. She went to Iowa. Then Nikki Caldwell Fargas recruited

her. She said no… I said, “Well, funny. You should call.” Just having her come and come alongside and really partner in the mission of this program has been one of my greatest joys…And so it’s our honor to give her the honor back that she gave to us for so long.”

While Scarlet Knights cheered on their current coach during her pre game recognition her former team unleashed a brutal balanced attack with five players scoring double digits led by Senior KiKi Rice’s 17 points and seven rebounds. Senior Gabriela Jacquez added 14 points, three rebounds, and two assists. Senior Lauren Betts chipped in 11 points off efficient shooting, going a perfect 5-for-5 from the field in under 14 minutes. Freshman Sienna Betts also finished with 11 points and four rebounds. Graduate Transfer Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 11 points too along with dishing seven dimes, five steals, and four rebounds.

“Charlisse Leger-Walker, I thought really led the way in terms of building urgency and trying to play to a standard even when the score didn’t reflect that,” coach Close said. “I think our team as a whole, the next piece of discipline that we need to grab is learning how to be more consistent in that venture. We just haven’t proved against teams that are not at our caliber from a talent perspective that we can put 40 minutes of disciplined basketball together and play to our standards on a consistent basis and that’s what we got to grab next.”

UCLA jumped out to 12-3 lead after Rutgers was first to put points on the scoreboard with a three-pointer off the backboard by Faith Blackstone. Rutgers then went cold for their next several shot attempts while UCLA went on their 12-0 run before forcing Rutgers to call a timeout. 

The play that led for a pause in the game came courtesy of a highlight hesitation move by Rice in a delayed transition fast break resulting in a nifty layup. Followed by a quick three pointer that led to Rutgers Head Coach, Coquese Washington, unable to watch anymore her team slip into abyss. 

“We’ve only had one quarter with our expected lineup healthy and playing, ”Coach Washington said. “What this season is about for Sid to grow through adversity…my guiding principle is Philippians 4:13, I can do all things…”

Talking to her team during the timeout was not enough once they return to the battlefield as the bleeding continued by UCLA’s on-slaughter defense.

Right out of the timeout, the Lady Bruins came up with a defensive stop converted into a deep range triple by freshman Lena Bilić from Leger-Walker’s fancy pass. Once the crowd began their chants, Rutgers responded with a three-pointer to silence the home crowd noise briefly and snap their nearly seven minutes scoring drought – the Scarlet Knights went 1 of 13 ending the first period with UCLA up 26-6.

Scarlet Knights gained some much-needed momentum and was able to swing it to their advantage most of the second quarter, slowing down the Lady Bruins to only score half of what they scored previous period while nearly scoring over double than the first quarter output to go into halftime, 40-19.

“Like our mindset needs to be consistent regardless of who we’re playing,” Rice said. “So whether it’s Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan, USC, like throughout regardless of the team, regardless of the record, we need to come out with the same intensity, treat

each moment the same, and that way we’ll be ready for every single moment. And I think we got to fight for the consistency in that area. That’s still an area we need to grow in, but you

know, we’ll be ready for these games.”

Rutgers demonstrated glimmers of hope on the defensive end, causing UCLA to enter a scoring drought for over three minutes. Still, Jaquez finished the first half with 12 points and three rebounds. Rice added nine points.

Zachara Perkins scored the first points to open the second half for Rutgers. Laure Betts responded and made the first basket for the Bruins drawing the foul for a completed three-point play. UCLA then went on another scoring tangent in their next four possessions to seize a 15-3 run.

Rice and Betts scored seven points apiece leading their team’s third quarter domination quest. Kneepkens and Leger-Walker added five apiece, giving UCLA that consistent balanced offensive attack to comfortably hold a 68-27 lead closing out the quarter.

Bruins opened the fourth with two players, going on solo runs, both Betts and Dugalic scoring back-to-back baskets to extend the Bruins lead. UCLA then took it up another gear, reaching their largest lead of game at 43 points off a Bilić three, her second one for the night, giving UCLA an “edge and lita,” 80-37 beatdown.

“My number one priority was subbing intentionally for their bodies,” coach Close said. “We have a lot of people, our trainer had come to me ahead of time and was like, “Hey, these are where our loads are, this is what you know and our AP team does a great job of keeping me informed and looking at the data and reading the loads and so I just really was trying to protect and balance minutes out.”

UCLA dominated in the paint with 44 points while shooing 56 percent from the  field, plus out-rebounding Rutgers more than doubling their 18 with 41, locking up 13 steals and distributing 25 assists despite turning over the ball 13 times where Coach Close had to reiterate on numerous occasions to her team to tidy their offense. 

Transfer Lauryn Swann led the Scarlet Knights with 14 points.

UCLA (22-1, 12-0 BIG) will travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan, on February 8th for a major Big 10 top-10 matchup against the No. 8 Michigan Wolverines on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. PT and will be broadcast on FOX. 

Three straight wins for USC

By
Vaaron Watts
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Alijah Arenas drives to the basket. Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News

LOS ANGELES, CA — Alijah Arenas poured in a career-high 29 points, including 19 after halftime, and Southern California used a decisive second-half surge to beat Indiana 81-75 on Tuesday night at the Galen Center, extending the Trojans’ winning streak to three games in Big Ten play.

USC (17-6, 6-6 Big Ten) leaned on Arenas’ shot-making and a dominant performance on the glass to hold off Indiana (15-8, 6-6), which was led by Lamar Wilkerson’s game-high 33 points but struggled to keep pace late. The Trojans outrebounded the Hoosiers 40-25, shot 46.3% from the field and limited Indiana to 28.6% shooting from 3-point range.

Alijah Arenas. Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News

Arenas, a freshman guard, delivered his breakout performance on a big stage, becoming the first Trojan this season to score at least 19 points in a half. He added six rebounds and hit several momentum-shifting baskets down the stretch as USC closed out the win at the free-throw line.

“He can get his own shot whenever he wants,” USC coach Eric Musselman said. “He’s a great find-your-own-shot creator. I hope he can continue to build off of this. Twenty-nine points in your fifth game of college is pretty damn impressive.”

Kam Woods added 18 points and six rebounds, while Ezra Ausar scored 12 points to give USC three players in double figures. The Trojans’ backcourt duo of Arenas and Woods combined for 47 points, with 30 coming in the second half.

Indiana kept the game close behind Wilkerson, who shot 11-for-20 from the field and 5-for-12 from beyond the arc. However, the Hoosiers received limited production elsewhere, shooting just 41.3% overall and falling behind during key stretches when USC’s defense tightened.

USC jumped out to a fast start, making its first seven shots from the floor and building early momentum. Chad Baker-Mazara scored seven quick points, but Indiana responded with a 7-0 run fueled by Wilkerson to briefly take the lead. The Trojans regained control late in the half, closing on a 5-0 run from the free-throw line to take a 35-30 advantage into halftime.

The Trojans seized command early in the second half with a 10-2 run, highlighted by a three-point play from Ausar and a corner 3-pointer from Woods that pushed the lead to 49-39. Arenas followed with a midrange jumper through contact and later knocked down back-to-back 3s during an 8-0 run that stretched the margin to double digits.

Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News

Indiana made a final push in the closing minutes, trimming the deficit to three points with 24 seconds remaining, but USC made six free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

“This game is not worth one game,” Musselman said. “There are bubble implications, Big Ten standing implications, and tie-break implications. A big win.”

The victory improved USC to 12-2 this season when it outrebounds its opponent and marked another step forward for a lineup Musselman believes is finding its rhythm midway through conference play.

Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News

USC will travel to Penn State on Sunday, while Indiana returns home looking to rebound after dropping its second straight road game.

USC upholds Rutgers losing record with blowout win, 71-39

By
Charle' Moore
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Los Angeles, CA- Senior Forward Kara Dunn dropped double digits again to lead USC to its first victory on Sunday, the first day of the month in February against Rutgers at the Galen Center, 71-39.

Freshmen Jazzy Davidson open the game with scoring the first basket before committing back-to-back turnovers that led to Scarlet Knights converting into points. 

“I just thought we were a little sloppy with the ball and we talked about just being more intentional,” USC Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “Whether it was shot selection or really just getting, you know, in rhythm more. And I credit Rutger’s length and their zone kind of impacted us a little bit. But I thought we kind of got in our heads a little bit when shots didn’t fall early…”

Londynn Jones was able to change that mindset early after draining a triple to give her team, a 5-4 lead midway thru the first quarter. By the end of the quarter, both teams had found some rhythm on offense, trading baskets with Rutgers closing out the first period, up 15-12.

Malia Samuels opened 2nd quarter with a tying triple, 15-15. A couple of plays later, Davidson came with a sweet Euro step in transition for a 3- point play putting USC up five, 24-19.

“Malia being back was great,” Sophmore Guard Kennedy Smith said. “She brings the defense energy and leadership that we need for this team. She’s a big asset for this team. So her being back brought us momentum obviously on the defensive end.“

But the Women of Troy fell to capitalize on that big momentum swing and put the game away by committing more costly unforced turnovers that allowed the Scarlet Knights to hang in the first half, entering halftime, 29-23.

Laura Williams became an unsung hero for USC grabbing 11 rebounds in only 14 minutes of action and knocking down pivotal baskets to help her team at home build up their win streak. 

“Laura is a tremendous

athlete. She’s just like a super terrific athlete and she has long arms and she goes up and gets the ball,” coach Gottlieb said. “She’s a really good offensive rebounder. I think that tonight in particular, we didn’t shoot

it great, so there were a lot of opportunities. And they were in a zone, so there’s nobody really boxing you out. And I thought she did exactly

what she’s capable of doing in that sense.”

Dunn was USC’s unheralded leading scorer again, finishing with 18 points and six boards. Davidson added 16 points and 9 rebounds. Smith had 11 points plus a moment in the game where she performed a one-man press causing disruptive pressure to Rutgers’ guards. 

Rutgers continued to make an attempt of a comeback but could not get over the hump, despite hitting a buzzer-beater shot to end the third period, 52-33. 

Women of Troy did not let up on defense, only allowing Scarlet Knights to score eight points in the last three periods and continued their defensive prowess before emptying their bench and sealing the game with a corner three-pointer by crowd favorite Rian Forestier, starting this month off with a meaningful celebration.

“February is Black History Month and Black History is American history, right? And we have a really diverse team, but we have a lot of strong and powerful and amazing young African-American women who just do a lot of great things both on and off the court,” coach Gottlieb said. “And I think that, you know, their ability to, you know, wear a shirt and just shine a light on the incredible people in this country’s history that have made us who we are is a great thing, right? So, you hope that a t-shirt brings awareness, but you hope really it’s in how we live, and how we value, you know, those around us.”

USC (13-9, 5-6) will now hit the road traveling Midwest to first matchup against Northwestern, then Illinois.

Justin Rose walks away from the Farmers Open field

By
Jevone Moore
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Champion Justin Rose - Photo by Kevin Ballton / fi360 News

SAN DIEGO, CA— Justin Rose completed a dominant wire-to-wire performance Sunday at Torrey Pines, closing with a 2-under 70 to win the Farmers Insurance Open by seven strokes and cap one of the most commanding weeks of his PGA TOUR career.

Rose finished at 23-under-par 265, setting tournament records for 36-, 54- and 72-hole scoring while becoming the oldest champion in event history at 45. The victory was his 13th PGA TOUR title, the fourth wire-to-wire win in Farmers Open history and the largest margin of victory of his career. Rose earned $1.728 million for the win.

Justin Rose walks up the 18th green. Photo by Kevin Ballton / fi360 News

“First and foremost, it’s an amazing thing to win any time, any place,” Rose said. “But when you start to think about the way this week unfolded, it really is incredibly special.”

Playing with a six-shot cushion to start the final round, Rose never allowed the field to mount a serious charge on the demanding South Course. He mixed patience with precision, avoiding the big mistake and steadily adding pars and timely birdies to keep the tournament firmly in his control. His closing 70 gave him rounds of 62-65-68-70 for the week.

Pi Coody, Si Woo Kim and Ryo Hisatsune tied for second at 16 under after rounds of 65, 69 and 69, respectively. Jake Knapp and Stephan Jaeger finished another stroke back at 15 under, while Sahith Theegala, Andrew Novak and Joel Dahmen shared seventh at 14 under.

Photo by Kevin Ballton / fi360 News

Rose’s ability to manage pressure over four days stood out on a course known for volatility, particularly as greens firmed up late in the week. He extended his lead each round and never appeared rattled, even as others tried to make a late push.

“There’s always nerves,” Rose said. “But it’s a lot easier being on the golf course than thinking about it the night before. When you have the club in your hand and you’re committed, it’s never as bad as you think.”

With history within reach, Rose was also acutely aware of the tournament scoring record as he played the closing holes. He laid up on the par-5 18th rather than forcing a risky shot, choosing discipline over theatrics to secure the milestone.

“I was keenly aware of it,” Rose said. “I was trying to get in the clubhouse at 23 or better. I still had a job to do, so I was trying to stay disciplined.”

Photo by Kevin Ballton / fi360 News

The win further cements Rose’s legacy as the most successful English player in PGA TOUR history and reinforces his resurgence late in his career. Having now won at Torrey Pines twice, Rose said the venue remains one of his favorites on the schedule, both for its challenge and its setting.

“It’s the kind of place you play and you stop and look around and go, wow, this place is special,” he said.

After four days of control, composure and record-setting golf, Rose left little doubt, turning Torrey Pines into a personal showcase and opening the 2026 season with a performance that will be remembered as one of the finest of his career.

Champion Justin Rose on the 8th Tee Box – Photo by Kevin Ballton / fi360 News

UCLA pushes around Iowa for another win

By
Jevone Moore
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Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News

WESTWOOD, Ca — No. 4 UCLA delivered a statement performance Sunday, overpowering No. 9 Iowa 88-65 at Pauley Pavilion behind a dominant inside attack and balanced scoring that kept the Hawkeyes chasing for most of the afternoon.

The Bruins (21-1, 11-0 Big Ten) used a decisive second-quarter surge and never looked back, leading for more than 37 minutes while handing Iowa just its fourth loss in its last 21 Big Ten regular-season games. UCLA shot 57.8% from the field, went a perfect 8-for-8 at the free-throw line and outscored Iowa 56-26 in the paint in a matchup billed as one of the weekend’s marquee games.

Dugalic on the break. (Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News)

Angela Dugalić led UCLA with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting matching her career high, while Lauren Betts added 16 points in just under 21 minutes, consistently punishing Iowa around the rim. Kiki Rice finished with 17 points and seven assists, directing an offense that assisted on 29 of its 37 made baskets.

“I think a lot of our confidence comes from the work we put in day after day,” Betts said. “We have a really amazing post presence and we work hard at it every day.”

UCLA took control late in the first quarter and stretched the margin to 39-28 by halftime, shooting nearly 70% in the second period. Any hope of an Iowa comeback faded quickly after intermission as the Bruins opened the third quarter with an 11-0 run, pushing the lead into double digits for good. UCLA outscored the Hawkeyes 23-17 in the third and 26-20 in the fourth, with the advantage swelling to as many as 27 points.

Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News

Iowa (18-4, 9-2) was led by Ava Heiden, who scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting to extend her streak of double-figure games to 10, including against all 11 Big Ten opponents. Hannah Stuelke added 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists, recording her 16th game this season with at least eight boards. Taylor Stremlow chipped in 12 points and four assists, while Chazadi “Chit-Chat” Wright finished with 10 points and a team-high seven assists.

The Hawkeyes, however, struggled to keep pace offensively, shooting 43.4% overall and just 5-for-21 from 3-point range. Iowa managed only two lead changes early and trailed for all but 1:45 of the contest, falling to 5-3 against AP Top 25 opponents this season.

Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News

UCLA’s depth proved decisive, with 29 bench points and consistent pressure on both ends of the floor. Sienna Betts pulled down seven rebounds, Gianna Kneepkens scored 10 points, and Charlisse Leger-Walker added 10 points and five rebounds as the Bruins repeatedly capitalized on second-chance opportunities and fast breaks.

Head coach Cori Close credited the environment and her team’s unselfish approach for fueling the performance.

“Great atmosphere here today for the game,” Close said. “What I really love about this team is that they celebrate each other’s growth. The Bruin faithful was incredible this weekend.”

Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News

With the win, UCLA remained unbeaten in conference play and strengthened its résumé against ranked competition, while Iowa left Los Angeles looking to regroup after being outmuscled and outpaced for four quarters.

Rose is your leader after 54 holes at the Farmers Open

By
Jevone Moore
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Photo by Kevin Ballton / fi360 News

SAN DIEGO, CA — Justin Rose turned Torrey Pines into a familiar playground again Saturday, firing a steady 4-under 68 on the South Course to seize a commanding six-shot lead after three rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open.

Rose, the 2019 champion, stood at 21-under-par 195 after rounds of 62 on the North Course, 65 on the South and another 68 on the South, posting the lowest 54-hole score at the event since records began in 1983. His margin is the largest 54-hole lead at the Farmers Open since Tiger Woods led by eight in 2008, and the biggest on the PGA TOUR since Scottie Scheffler’s eight-shot cushion at the 2025 THE CJ Cup at Byron Nelson.

Rose looking at next shot to find the line. (Photo by Kevin Ballton / fi360 News)

“Yeah, today I played really well,” Rose said. “I thought that was the round of the week from tee to green anyway.”

Joel Dahmen was second at 15 under after a 3-under 68 on the North Course, but never seriously threatened as Rose repeatedly answered any hint of pressure. Ryo Hisatsune and Si Woo Kim were tied for third at 13 under, while Max McGreevy sat fifth at 12 under.

Rose built his third-round momentum with precise iron play and controlled aggression, setting up a string of birdie chances while avoiding mistakes on a course that can quickly punish loose shots. Even on a day when birdie putts outside 10 feet were scarce, he kept moving forward and maintained his cushion through the demanding closing stretch.

Photo by Kevin Ballton / fi360 News

The 45-year-old Englishman is seeking his 13th PGA TOUR victory in his 447th career start and his first win since the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship. A victory Sunday would make him the event’s 10th multiple winner and the first since Jason Day in 2018, while extending his record for most TOUR wins by an English player.

Despite the sizable lead, Rose dismissed any notion of easing off heading into the final round.

“There’s never going to be any complacency,” he said. “You’ve got to do everything right tomorrow.”

Sahith Theegala taps put on the green. Photo by Kevin Ballton / fi360 News

Dahmen, who played alongside Rose, acknowledged the difficulty of chasing on the South Course, where low rounds are hard-earned and leads can evaporate only with near-perfect golf.

Rose has now led or co-led the Farmers Insurance Open after a round eight times since 2016, the most of any player, and is 6-for-17 when holding a 54-hole lead or co-lead on TOUR. With calm weather forecast again Sunday, the task ahead is simple but exacting: manage the volatility of Torrey Pines and finish what has already been a record-setting week.

Trojans close with poise

By
Vaaron Watts
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Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News

Los Angeles, CA- From a Trojan fan’s perspective, this was a game that showed USC’s identity and its maturity.

USC controlled the matchup from start to finish, dictating the tempo and playing through its strengths. The Trojans led for nearly the entire night, leaning on physical interior play and balanced scoring to keep Rutgers at arm’s length. Still, Big Ten games rarely stay comfortable.

Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News

Rutgers made its late surge behind guard Tariq Francis, who finished with a game-high 26 points and five assists. His shot-making and pressure cut USC’s lead down to one possession in the final moments, setting up a tense finish.

But USC made the defensive play of the game.

With seconds left and Francis handling the ball near midcourt, Chad Baker-Mazara squared him up, jammed him with his dribble, and cleanly poked the ball away, a strong, disciplined defensive stand that sealed the 78–75 win and sent the Trojans celebrating.

USC’s edge all night came inside. Ezra Ausar was dominant, scoring 21 points with seven rebounds while repeatedly sealing defenders and finishing strong above the rim. Jacob Cofie delivered a double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds), and Baker-Mazara added 17 points and five rebounds, giving USC consistent production across the front line.

Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News

Freshman Alijah Arenas continues to grow into the college game and provided a spark, scoring 9 points while knocking down 2 of 4 from three, encouraging signs of confidence and shot selection.

After the game, Eric Musselman praised Ausar’s work in the paint and highlighted the discipline of Kam Woods, who followed a season-high scoring night by taking just three shots and fully buying into the system. Musselman did acknowledge USC’s struggles against the full-court press late, an area the Trojans know must improve.

Photo by Dylan Berkman / fi360 News

Still, this was a win built on control, toughness, and one final defensive stop, exactly the kind Trojan fans appreciate.

Women of Troy wipe out No. 8 Iowa’s league win streak, 81-69

By
Charle' Moore
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USC Trojan's Kara Dunn #25 (Photo by Jason Purisima)

Los Angeles, CA-  Kara “KD” Dunn does it all with a decorative double-double, 25 points and 12 rebounds for USC to upset No. 8 Iowa in a rollercoaster game with USC winning the odd quarters and game despite Iowa winning the even quarters but losing their first league match of the season, 81-69.

Women of Troy returned to the Galen Center in hunt for a home victory after falling twice on a two-game road trip to Michigan and Michigan State. Both Dunn and freshman Jazzy Davidson came out aggressive scoring the first two baskets for USC and setting the tone for their team’s plan of attack.

“A win for us on so many levels,” USC Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I’m just so proud of our team. I think, you know, I’d felt confident because of the way we approached the Michigan trip, the way we approached when we came back we battled. I think we came out, the aggressors and carried it through and had great performances across the board.”

USC outscored Iowa 28 to 15 behind Dunn’s 11 points in the first period. Iowa came back blazing in second period, closing in on the Women of Troy, and entering halftime, only down by six, 43-37. 

USC Trojan’s Jazzy Davidson #9 with Coach Lindsay Gottlieb (Photo by Jason Purisima)

“All of my assistant coaches do an incredible job at their scouts,” Coach Gottlieb said. “This one was coach Nikki Blue’s and we were very specific that they have a great interior game, you know, so we wanted to battle the bigs, not let them get deep position and help big to big, but really take their guards out of it with pressure. And I thought Kennedy and Jazzy and London and Diana who came in did a really good job of that. I really got on them about the six made threes for Iowa in the first half…”

USC’s response to coach Gottlieb’s halftime pep talk was evident in her returning sophomore guard Smith’s, whom put on layup clinic with a series of right hand downhill drives against Iowa, rallying up 10 points in the third period, helping her team post over 25 points. Iowa went 0 for 3 from deep range and only tallied 14 points, ending the quarter, 51-70.  

“I’m here for everything that Kennedy Smith brings and that comes with growth, too, right?” Coach Gottlieb said. “I thought Kennedy’s second half response today was incredibly important for us. She always sets the tone defensively, right…I know she didn’t have the offensive half in the first half that she wanted. I didn’t say much. I just literally went up to her at halftime and said, “Keep attacking. Keep being aggressive.” And…if they’re going to double KD, Jazzy’s going to get a mid-range jumper. If they’re going to sell out on Jazzy, Ken’s going to go to the rim. And this was one really good game for us.”

USC had four starters to finish in double digits led by Dunn. Davidson added 21 points and eight assists. Londynn Jones poured in 15 and Smith finished with 12.

Both teams are dealing with multiple injured players and constant adjustments to their rosters.

Hawkeyes struggled all game with infrequent flashes of why they are a top ten ranked team.

However, USC usual suspects, Dunn and Davidson killed any notion of their season being over or counting out their team for the hunt of a league and NCAA tournament run.  

“I feel like our focus like Jazzy and me after every single game I’ve said it before we talk about what happened, how we can do better moving forward, Dunn said. “And every time before the game we look at each other before we run out we’re like are you ready? And she’s like yeah I’m ready. “And we like clap hands or something and we go out and we know

that we need to handle business.”

USC handled their business and closed shop on Iowa undefeated conference play holding on to final buzzer to end the month on an encouraging note.

Meanwhile, Iowa who could not figure out how to unclog the paint of USC swarming interior defense, slowing down Hannah Stuelke and Ava Heiden from getting easy touches in a Jan Jensen’s signature post initiated offense.

The Hawkeyes were led by Journey Houston’s 16 points and eight rebounds, while Stuelke had a snoozing 10 points and one board. Heiden added 13 points and eight boards. While Taylor Stremlow came off the bench and scored 11.

Iowa is now 18-3 on the season and 9-1 in conference. 

“We really felt like we needed this win and I feel like we’ve had a lot of great practices and I feel like just the team morale is really good right now despite the losses,” coach Gottlieb said.  “It’s just good for us to have this win and moving forward into February building on it.”

USC (12-9, 4-6) will return home to the Galen Center on Sunday late in the afternoon to face Rutgers in hope to begin a winning streak against another league opponent.

Rams Season Ends With Seahawks Loss In NFC Championship

By
Christopher Floch
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Photo by Jevone Moore

SEATTLE, WA– A career day from Sam Darnold and costly miscues proved too much for the Los Angeles Rams, who lost a 31-27 heartbreaker to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, January 25th at Lumen Field.

With Los Angeles facing fourth-and-4 at the Seattle 6 with 4:59 remaining, coach Sean McVay elected to go for it and Matthew Stafford’s pass was broken up in the end zone by Devon Witherspoon. The Rams didn’t get the ball back until there were 25 seconds left, and Puka Nacua was tackled inbounds near midfield on the final play.

The Seattle Seahawks will face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XL in Santa Clara on Sunday, February 8th. Seahawks Quarterback, and former USC Trojan Sam Darnold had his signature performance against the hapless Rams secondary.

Coming in, Darnold hated facing the Rams, never earning a win until tonight. Completing 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards with no turnovers. Seahawks Wide Receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 153 yards receiving — the second-most in a playoff game in franchise history — and a touchdown on 10 catches.

Former Ram and Super Bowl XLI MVP Cooper Kupp got revenge against his old team. Catching 4 passes for 53 yards and a touchdown in the win.

“It’s amazing,” Darnold said. “To be able to do it with these guys in this locker room, though, with this coaching staff, that’s why it means the world to me.”

Quarterback Matthew Stafford finished 22 of 35 passing for 374 yards and three touchdowns in the loss.

Untimely defensive and special teams miscues at other points in the game cost the Rams a trip to the Super Bowl.

For instance, a muffed punt by Xavier Smith in the third quarter was recovered by the Seahawks deep in Rams territory. On the next play, Darnold connected with Jake Bobo for a 17-yard touchdown and a 24-13 lead.

The Seahawks led 31-20 late in the third quarter on Darnold’s 13-yard TD pass to Cooper Kupp, but the Rams got back into the game when Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen was flagged for taunting after breaking up a pass to Nacua on third-and-12, giving Los Angeles a first down.

Scoring a TD with 2:06 left in the third quarter and the Rams trailing 31-26, pundits and fans believed L A. should have gone for the two-point conversion to make it a three-point difference at 31-28.

Rams Coach Sean Mcvay chose instead to kick the extra point to make the score 31-27. The final points the Rams would score this season.

Plain and simple the wrong choice. but that decision directly led to a fourth-down call late in game rather than a game tying field goal that effectively ended the Rams’ comeback attempt.

McVay was emotional speaking to reporters at the podium. He said this year’s squad was “as special of a group top to bottom as I’ve ever been around” and expressed his gratitude for the team. He wanted two more weeks to work with them, and that won’t happen now, which only added to the postgame disappointment.

The Rams’ defense had forced at least two turnovers in each of the past three games, but didn’t have one against the Seahawks.

It’s obvious the Rams Secondary was awful in the NFC Title. Constantly allowing the Seahawks to convert time and time again on critical third downs.

The secondary looked good enough at times this year despite no star in the defensive backfield. Over the course of the year however, erosion set in   before the Seahawks busted open in the most important game of the year.

The Seahawks are in the Super Bowl in only the second year of head coach Mike Macdonald’s tenure. For the first time since the 2014 season, the Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl. They will play the Patriots in a rematch of Super Bowl 49.

UCLA Upsets Fourth-Ranked Purdue on A Sparkling John Wooden Night

By
Tony Jones
-
Photo credit: Jan Kim Lim, UCLA Athletics

Westwood, CA –It’s clear that the UCLA men’s basketball program has gone through many, many changes since the pre-Transfer Portal/pre-NIL era. 

  Could one imagine if there were NO NIL? NO Transfer Portal? There’s a good chance that UCLA would- let alone could – have won a few more national championships, based on quality players that stayed at one school. 

  As far as last night’s game against   visiting fourth-ranked Purdue is concerned, UCLA showed flashes of a championship team, especially deep in the second half. 

  Even the spirit of legendary College Basketball Hall of Fame and UCLA Coach John Wooden, a proud Purdue alumni icon himself, would agree, while watching the game with wife Nell from a very big screen TV via a Heavenly-sized satellite. 

  Tyler Bilodeau’s jumper with eight seconds left in the game, helped by a final team defensive stop that led to a missed Purdue shot attempt at the buzzer, sealed a 69-67 victory for the survival-minded Bruins, who gave themselves a positive checkmark in the eyes of the 2026 NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. 

  The victory snapped a nine-game winning streak by Purdue. Donovan Dent led UCLA with 23 points and 13 assists, but he and his teammates took the reins on both sides of the court to rally from a 27-15 deficit in the first half.

  Using a defensive effort worthy of Wooden’s famed Pyramid of Success, the Bruins mixed in a series of blocked shots, steals and key rebounding efforts despite lacking a true old school center, à la Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) or Bill Walton. 

  Purdue appeared to have made a statement that they were on its way to a 10th straight easy win, but Dent, Bilodeau, Eric Dailey, Jr., Trent Perry, and Xavier Booker had other plans for the Boilermakers. 

  The result was perhaps the best Wooden-like defensive effort by a UCLA basketball team against a ranked opponent in recent memory. 

  Someone close by in the media seating area even cleverly suggested that Coach Wooden was somewhere smiling on a night when he was honored, mostly by a giveaway of bobblehead figurines in his image to those among the 10,235 fans in attendance. 

  A smiling Grant Walters, assistant sports editor at the award winning Daily Bruin campus newspaper, agreed with the Wooden reference. 

  Meanwhile, UCLA (5-3 in the Big 10 conference, 13-6 overall), also remains undefeated at home (11-0). The Bruins are currently holding on to the eighth spot in the conference. 

  But even if the Bruins can patch together a winning record from now until the end of the regular season (12 games), there is a realistic chance that it would have to travel to another region besides the West Region if it squeezes into the tournament.

  That means UCLA would need to go undefeated, or close to it, 10-2 at the least, to be marginally considered. Otherwise the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) would probably be a guaranteed destination at the estimation of a 23-8 regular season finish. 

  All estimates considered, the reaction from the happy UCLA fans was all the Bruins needed as they walked off the court victorious. But only for one night. A gauntlet of Big 10 powerhouses led by Michigan and Michigan State await them -both on the road- until the season ends March 7.

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