No. 9 USC beat its crosstown rival for the first time in 10 tries, giving no. 2 UCLA its first loss of the season and exacting revenge for their defeat two weeks ago in Westwood.
It was the first time two top-10 teams faced off in the Galen Center, according to the program. The Trojans welcomed a true sellout to their home arena for the game, with a number of celebrities in attendance, including USC legend Cheryl Miller, Candace Parker, Chris Brown and Saweetie.
Maybe the biggest star was JuJu Watkins, the Trojans’ freshman sensation who had a game-high 32 points in the 73-65 victory. She had eight points during a game-breaking 15-0 USC run in the second quarter, and the Trojans led the rest of the way.
And then there was one
As was the case in 2023, UCLA’s loss means that South Carolina is the last remaining undefeated team in the country. The Gamecocks haven’t lost a regular-season game since Dec. 2021. Although an undefeated regular season isn’t a guarantee that South Carolina will win another national title — remember what happened against Iowa in the Final Four a year ago? This milestone is another tribute to what Dawn Staley has built in Columbia. Other teams around the country have off days, but not the Gamecocks. Even with the No. 1 target on their back, they…
