Lauren Betts Shines as UCLA Women Dominate USC 80-46

The UCLA Bruins women’s basketball team came out swinging on Saturday night, crushing the 17th-ranked USC Trojans 80-46. Lauren Betts led the charge with a double-double, helping UCLA snag their eighth win in a row and stay at the top of the Big Ten conference.

They just looked unstoppable on the boards, in the paint, and honestly, all over the court. If you want the full story, check out the original article here.

Lauren Betts Shines with Double-Double Performance

Lauren Betts absolutely stole the show, putting up 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. She owned the paint, outscoring USC there 42-10.

Betts also matched USC’s Jazzy Davidson with three blocks. Her defensive presence really set the tone.

Team Effort and Key Contributions

Betts was the star, but this was a team win through and through. Gianna Kneepkens filled the stat sheet with 15 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

Kiki Rice chipped in 14 points and dished out eight assists. Gabriela Jaquez added 12 points and six rebounds.

The Bruins spread the ball around and everyone got involved. That balance made a huge difference.

UCLA Takes Command in the Second Quarter

Early on, it was tight—both teams knotted up at 16-all after the first quarter. Then UCLA just took over in the second, outscoring USC 27-12.

They went on a wild 16-2 run, with Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker both hitting big threes. By halftime, UCLA had built a comfortable 43-28 lead.

Dominance on the Boards

Rebounding was a huge story. UCLA outrebounded the Trojans 46-26, with Betts leading the pack.

That edge on the glass let the Bruins control the tempo and rack up second-chance points. It just kept stretching the lead.

USC’s Struggles Against Top-5 Teams

USC’s had a rough time facing top-5 teams this season. They’d already lost to No. 1 UConn and then-No. 3 South Carolina.

Missing their star JuJu Watkins, who’s still recovering from a torn ACL, didn’t help. The Trojans just couldn’t find their shot or get in sync on offense.

Jazzy Davidson and Londynn Jones’ Performances

Freshman Jazzy Davidson did what she could, scoring 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting and grabbing three blocks. Londynn Jones, who switched from UCLA to USC, had a tough night in her third start—just six points on 1-of-9 shooting and missed four of five threes.

The Bruins fans let her hear it, too. That can’t have made things any easier.

Looking Ahead

With this win, UCLA sits at 14-1 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten, holding first place on their own. Next up: a trip to No. 20 Nebraska on January 11.

USC, now 10-4 and 2-1 in the conference, will try to regroup when they host Oregon on Tuesday. Let’s see if they can bounce back.

Historic Rivalry

Hall of Fame siblings Cheryl Miller (USC) and Reggie Miller (UCLA) sat courtside, bringing a sense of history and nostalgia to the rivalry. Their presence just added something special to the already intense matchup.

With this win, UCLA now leads the all-time series against USC, 55-54. The competition between these two storied programs just keeps getting more heated.