Women’s basketball prepares for face-off against crosstown rival USC

The Bruins will jump back into Pac-12 play this weekend after finishing their nonconference schedule with an average margin of victory of 53 points.

No. 11 UCLA women’s basketball (3-1, 1-1 Pac-12) is set to face crosstown rival USC (1-2, 0-2) on Sunday at the Galen Center. The Bruins came away victorious in two of three matchups last season, including a 73-66 win in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament. However, their last trip to the Galen Center resulted in a 70-68 double-overtime loss Jan. 17.

“Our games with USC since I’ve been here have always been super back and forth and they’ve always been super high tempo, super aggressive,” said senior forward Michaela Onyenwere. “We all know what we’re fighting for and that’s who’s the best in LA.”

Because of the shortened nonconference schedule as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be the earliest these teams have met since at least 1999.

Despite the relative lack of preparation for conference games, coach Cori Close reiterated how important it is for the team to continue to maintain a neutral mindset and focus on improving every day.

“I challenged our team not to talk about anything that’s out of our control,” Close said. “I believe the success of our season will hinge on our ability to just focus on the next behavioral step in front of us. If we do that, whether we play them in December or March, who cares? Let’s enjoy it and get better together.”

UCLA is coming off a 102-45 victory over UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday in which six Bruins scored in double figures, including 18 points from sophomore guard Charisma Osborne – who has led the team in scoring in every game this season – and a career-high 17 points for redshirt junior guard Chantel Horvat.

Horvat, who was elevated to the starting lineup for the first time this season, also tied her career-high in rebounds with 12 in the victory over the Gauchos.

“I just want to do whatever I can for this team and I’m going to play my heart out whether I’m starting or coming off the bench,” Horvat said. “It was really rewarding to have that experience and play. I tried to make the most of it and I really enjoyed every second of it.”

Despite the all-around performance, Close said that the team still has plenty of things to work on and emphasized the importance of playing with effort and passion, especially against the Trojans.

USC is coming off a five-point loss to Arizona State and a one-point loss to then-No. 7 Arizona last week, but logged a 30-point victory over Loyola Marymount in its season opener.

Guard Endyia Rogers leads the Trojans with 33.7 minutes, 16.0 points, and 6.3 assists per game. The team has improved its 3-point shooting thus far this season, shooting 40.7% from beyond the arc compared to just 29.6% last year. Forward Jordan Sanders, who is shooting 85.7% from deep on 3.5 attempts per game, has been a big part of that turnaround.

“Against USC, you can gameplan but you can sort of throw it out the window,” Close said. “It’ll be about who can win the 50-50 balls and have more passion plays, who can control the rebounds and take care of the ball, really maintain their emotional stability in the midst of the ups and downs.”

Onyenwere said considering the ongoing uncertainty this season and year, the team is especially grateful for the opportunity to continue the tradition between UCLA and USC.

“We don’t know how many games we’ll actually have, so I’m just excited to be able to play this Sunday,” Onyenwere said. “Obviously with it being our rivals and how deep the tradition is, I’m very excited for it. They always come with their best as we do as well.”

The game is scheduled to tip off Sunday at noon.