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.
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.”
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.
“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.
“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.”
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.
