San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
RECORD CROWD SEES BRUINS WIN BATTLE OF L.A. UNBEATENS
No. 2 UCLA 71
Cori Close went with one of the more challenging nonconference schedules so that UCLA would be prepared for what could be the most rigorous Pac-12 races in conference history.
That certainly paid off Saturday in a battle of unbeaten crosstown rivals at a sold-out Pauley Pavilion.
Londynn Jones scored 21 points, including five 3pointers, and second-ranked UCLA defeated No. 6 USC 71-64, despite 27 points and 11 rebounds from Juju Watkins in what was the conference opener for both teams in the final season of the Pac-12.
Lauren Betts had 15 points and eight rebounds while Kiki Rice scored 12 for the Bruins (12-0, 1-0), who beat the Trojans (10-1, 0-1) for the ninth straight time.
UCLA has won all four games this season when going against ranked opponents, but the first three happened on the road or neutral courts.
“Today was like a Sweet 16 matchup. I think our nonconference schedule gave us a lot of experience,” Betts said. “I think we came in today knowing that whatever happens, we were going to be the tougher and more together team.”
The game was attended by 13,659 fans, breaking the UCLA women’s basketball single-game mark. Among those in attendance were Clippers star Russell Westbrook, former NBA star Baron Davis and Las Vegas Aces GM Natalie Williams, all former UCLA standouts, as well as Candace Parker.
Watkins came in making 49.4 percent from the field, but was 7 of 24 for the worstshooting game of her brief college career.
“It’s not great to lose personally but this is a learning lesson,” said Watkins, who is second in the nation in scoring at 26.8 points per game. “We haven’t faced a team like this so far. I needed to get used to the physicality and needed to slow things down.”
Mckenzie Forbes scored 23 for the Trojans.
Rice’s layup gave UCLA a 56-46 lead late in the third quarter before the Trojans went on a 13-4 run. A 3-pointer by Watkins with 6:46 remaining got them within 6059 but UCLA went on an 8-2 spurt to get some breathing room, including a pair of 3pointers by Jones.
No. 1 South Carolina 73,
East Carolina 36: Kamilla Cardoso had 12 points and 10 rebounds and the visiting Gamecocks (12-0) easily handled ECU (7-4) in their last game before SEC play begins.
No. 4 Iowa 94, Minnesota 71: Caitlin Clark became the Big Ten’s all-time assist leader and the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes (13-1, 2-0 Big Ten) routed the visiting Gophers
(11-2, 1-1). Clark had 10 assists, giving her 904 in her career. She also scored 35 points to move into fifth place all-time on the NCAA Division I career scoring list with 3,149. She also became the first Division I player — man or woman — to have 3,000-plus points, 900 or more assists and 800 or more rebounds in a career.
No. 7 LSU 110, Jacksonville 68: Annesah Morrow and Flau’jae Johnson scored 20 points each as the host Tigers (13-1) blasted Jacksonville (4-9).
No. 8 Colorado 76, No. 12 Utah 65: Jaylyn Sherrod had a career-high 34 points, Aaronette Vonleh scored 18 and the host Buffaloes (11-1) rallied past the Utes (10-3) in the final Pac-12 opener for both teams.
No. 10 Baylor 85, No. 5 Texas 79: Jada Walker scored 19 points and the visiting Bears (12-0) opened Big 12 conference play with a win over the Longhorns (13-1), who played their first game without point guard Rori Harmon, out for the season with a knee injury.