INDIANAPOLIS — UCLA heart Lauren Betts and her teammates used a five-day break to dissect their flaws, make a couple of fixes and recommit themselves to beating No. 2 USC — in the event that they earned that likelihood on the Large Ten Match.
Now it’s all set.
The convention’s high two regular-season groups and Los Angeles rivals will meet in yet one more winner-takes-all contest Sunday in what may very well be one of many high ladies’s basketball video games of the season.
“Lots must be completely different,” Betts stated when requested in regards to the title recreation following Saturday’s 75-46 rout of No. 13 Ohio State. “Clearly, we felt actually badly about how we performed them the final time and the way we confirmed up and we don’t ever wish to really feel like that once more.”
Spherical 3 of this sequence actually has a well-known plot and a few storybook twists.
The 2 longtime Pac-12 foes spent their first Large Ten season combating for delight and place — and, sure, a complete lot extra.
USC (28-2) swept the regular-season sequence from UCLA (29-2), transferring as much as No. 2 within the AP Top 25 ranking after clinching the regular-season title final week with a win at Pauley Pavillion. It’s the Trojans highest rating in almost 4 many years and solely made it seem extra probably they may win their first nationwide title since Cheryl Miller led them to back-to-back championships within the Nineteen Eighties.
UCLA beat everybody it performed — besides the Trojans, struggling a 71-60 loss at USC in mid-February earlier than shedding 80-67 at house in prime time on March 1. The Bruins had been ranked No. 1 till their first loss and had been No. 2 when USC beat them once more.
Now, the groups are squaring off yet one more time and maybe not the final time this season, with UCLA keen for one more shot and USC enjoying it a bit of extra cautiously.
“The reply to that query is not any,” Trojans coach Linsday Gottlieb stated with a chuckle as she lower off two gamers who had been requested for his or her desire of opponent earlier than the second semifinal recreation began.
It’s not simply the story of the tape both.
All-America guard JuJu Watkins, the Large Ten Participant of the Yr, leads a USC contingent that has gained 9 straight and survived the whole lot from sickness to foul hassle to 2 less-than-stellar wins in Indy.
The Trojans may very well be at full energy, although, after ahead Rayah Marshall returned to motion Saturday. She scored 9 factors and had three rebounds within the 82-70 victory over fifth-seeded Michigan after lacking Friday’s quarterfinal as a result of she was sick.
However the Trojans haven’t been as sharp by means of their first two Large Ten Match video games, one thing they know should change Sunday.
“I feel our gamers are insanely aggressive they usually do have a will to win,” Gottlieb stated. “With JuJu and Kiki (Iriafen) specifically, it’s not simply their expertise. They only have a fierce type of aggressive will about them they usually go forward and make performs that you just actually can’t script.”
These two have been the distinction by means of two video games, combining for 45 factors and 22 rebounds Saturday, with each posting consecutive double-doubles.
The Bruins have dug on this week too.
Betts, the Large Ten Defensive Participant of the Yr, had 12 factors and 6 rebounds in 24 minutes Saturday after dominating Friday’s victory over Nebraska with 28 factors, 13 rebounds, seven blocks and 5 assists
Plus, she’s getting loads of assist now from teammates reminiscent of Gabriela Jaquez, and after Saturday’s blowout, the assured and motivated Bruins could also be extra rested for his or her third recreation in three days.
And Sunday’s outcome may even swing the nationwide participant of the yr dialog. It’s all at stake.
“There are such a lot of ranges to this,” UCLA coach Cori Shut stated. “Clearly these are our solely two losses. Clearly they’re our crosstown rival. Clearly that is for a convention event championship.
“However if you happen to’re an actual competitor, you wish to be examined in opposition to the easiest and also you wish to have alternatives to beat your earlier adversities. That’s precisely what we’re getting. It forces you to dig deep and discover new ranges of development.”
Large Ten Match
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Wednesday’s video games
(12) Washington 79, (13) Minnesota 65
(10) Nebraska 84, (15) Rutgers 60
(11) Iowa 81, (14) Wisconsin 54
Thursday’s video games
(9) Indiana 78, (8) Oregon 62
(5) Michigan 66, (12) Washington 58
(10) Nebraska 74, (7) Illinois 70
(11) Iowa 74, (6) Michigan State 61
Friday’s quarterfinals
(1) USC 84, (9) Indiana 79
(5) Michigan 98, (4) Maryland 71
(2) UCLA 85, (10) Nebraska 74
(3) Ohio State 60, (11) Iowa 59
Saturday’s semifinals
(1) USC 72, (5) Michigan 60
(2) UCLA 75, (3) Ohio State 46
Sunday’s closing
(1) USC vs. (2) UCLA, 3:30 p.m., CBS-2
