UCLA women’s basketball sweeps season series against USC for 2nd consecutive year

This post was updated Jan. 24 at 6:36 p.m.

On the opening possession of the game, the Bruins allowed the Trojans to make a driving layup and take a 2-0 lead.

That would be the last time the Bruins faced a deficit for the night, as UCLA women’s basketball (9-4, 4-1 Pac-12) answered right back and didn’t trail again for the rest of the game, going on to defeat USC (9-7, 2-4) by a score of 68-58. The win was the second within a week for the Bruins against the Trojans, and the team has now swept its season series against its crosstown rivals two years in a row.

But after leading by double digits for the majority of Thursday’s 23-point win, Sunday’s game didn’t come without its scares, as USC tied up the game twice in the third quarter and kept the game close. However, the Bruins were able to pull away each time, eventually winning by double digits once again. 

Coach Cori Close said the two wins this week showed her team’s consistency and growth after starting their conference schedule with a loss on Jan. 9. 

“We won seven out of eight of the quarters of these two games, and the one quarter we didn’t, we tied, and so I’m mostly proud of our consistency,” Close said. “We’re starting to realize who we are and when we’re at our best.” 

After putting up 11 points in UCLA’s win on Thursday, junior guard Charisma Osborne started the game by contributing nine points in three minutes, while graduate student guard Natalie Chou hit both of her long-range attempts in the first quarter to help her team put up 24 points in the period. The blue and gold shot 7-of-12 from the field – including 5-of-7 from 3-point range – in the opening frame while holding its opponent to six makes on 13 attempts.

Osborne said it was a point of emphasis for the team to attack the basket, which in turn opened up looks on the perimeter.

“Recently, we’ve been talking about attacking the paint, because it’s just so wide open,” Osborne said. “I’ve just been trying to do that and just looking for my shot.” 

The 24 first-quarter points were the second-most in a first quarter this season for the Bruins, who received contributions from five different scorers in the period – including 3-pointers from Osborne, Chou and redshirt freshman guard Dominique Onu – to take an eight-point lead heading into the second period.

Redshirt freshman forward Izzy Anstey recorded the first points of the second quarter, scoring her first basket of the game on a layup 43 seconds in. UCLA began to struggle from the field, though, with its next made shot coming with 4:23 left in the quarter, and allowed USC to cut the lead to as low as three points. However, the Bruins responded by going on an 8-2 run to close the half and take a 38-29 lead heading into the halftime break. 

Anstey – who finished the game with six points and nine rebounds off the bench – said she takes pride in focusing on playing her role and giving her team extra offensive opportunities.  

“My job is to rebound, my job is to get the ball into the hands of our guards,” Anstey said. “As a team we spoke about how we did way better and you see how it changes the game. You see those offensive rebounds, those extra possessions – that’s what changed the game.”

Osborne scored 18 points in the half, while Chou chipped in seven of her own. UCLA shot 50% from behind the arc and 41.7% overall, while its opponents drained 40.7% of its field goal attempts and 30% of its long-range shots.

To begin the second half, the Trojans scored seven points in just over two minutes to cut their deficit to two points while holding the Bruins scoreless. After USC tied the game for the first time since the opening minutes of the game, Chou responded with a fadeaway jumper at the 5:36 mark to maintain her team’s lead. After an answer from USC guard Tera Reed, UCLA went on an 8-1 run to close the quarter and regain a nine-point lead.

Despite exiting the game for a brief moment in the fourth quarter following an apparent injury, Osborne finished the game leading all scorers with 27 points, her highest total of the season. Graduate student forward IImar’I Thomas contributed 14 points of her own while adding seven assists on the night – more than double her previous season high.

With Osborne on the sidelines and Onu fouled out, the Bruins were down to five active players until the junior guard checked back into the game after two minutes on the bench. Despite finishing the game with one player fouled out and two others with four fouls each, the Bruins managed to hold onto their lead, coming out victorious by double digits for the second time this week. 

“It was good to have fans back in the building in general,” Osborne said. “But it’s always super fun when it’s your rivals and you can shut them up at the end.”