We are smack dab in the middle of the Big Ten season and one thing has become clear: UCLA and USC have adjusted well to their new conference.
With both LA powerhouses dominating, it seems likely that their matchup on Feb. 13 will be the first time one of them will take a defeat in Big Ten play. However, some basketball is still left before that pre-Valentine’s date, so now is a good time to explain how both teams are doing ahead of this matchup.
UCLA is the team to beat
While both teams are great, UCLA is the top team. They are undefeated, ranked as the No. 1 team in the country and have done what was once viewed as the impossible: defeating South Carolina.
Until someone bests them, the Bruins will remain the favorite in any game they play, and that might even include when they face the Trojans at the Galen Center.
You don’t become a No. 1 team due to one player, but Lauren Betts is clearly a big reason why the Bruins are so good this season. She’s averaging 21 points and 9.9 rebounds per game and essentially has a mismatch in every contest.
UCLA focuses on getting her touches and establishing her early and often, which results in early leads and blowout victories. On the perimeter, guards Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez have shined in their roles. Both are…
