It’s officially 2025, and on New Year’s Day, Big Ten basketball resumed, with No. 4 USC taking on Nebraska and No. 1 UCLA facing No. 24 Michigan.
Both games ended with comfortable double-digit wins for the California teams, reminding us that defeating either of these schools will be an uphill battle for conference opponents.
JuJu Watkins shines in USC win
A 75-55 final score suggests that USC cruised to victory throughout, but that was not the case. Nebraska was right there with USC throughout the first half and the early parts of the third quarter.
However, USC went on an 8-2 run in the third frame to extend its lead from three points to nine. The Trojans then went on to win the quarter 20-11, effectively eliminating the pesky Cornhuskers for good. USC got the production they needed from their core players. Watkins scored a game-high 26 points, along with four assists and three rebounds. Kiki Iriafen stepped up as well, scoring 14 points, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists.
Nebraska struggled to score, especially in the second half, but had two players in double figures with Britt Prince and Logan Nissley. They combined for nearly half of the Cornhuskers’ total points, with 24 of the team’s 55 points.
