This post was updated Dec. 29 at 7:15 p.m.
While the calendar year is coming to an end, the Bruins’ conference schedule is just getting started.
No. 10 UCLA women’s basketball (11-0) – one of four Pac-12 teams ranked in the top 10 – will face USC (8-3) at Pauley Pavilion on Sunday to open its slate of 18 consecutive conference matches. The Trojans will enter into the 93rd all-time matchup between the teams riding a five-game winning streak.
“USC has strong inside presence and they’ve got kids who are really good at attacking off the bounce, so it’s really important for us to have solid post defense,” said coach Cori Close. “Offensively, we have not been playing in a very good flow. … We’re undefeated, but we have so much room to grow, especially on the offensive side of the ball.”
The Bruins will head into conference play with their best start to the season since 2010-11, when they started on an 11-game winning streak, meaning a win over the Trojans on Sunday would bring UCLA to 12-0 – a mark the Bruins haven’t achieved since the 1980-81 season.
This is the first season since 2010-11 that UCLA has not played a top-10 team in its nonconference slate, with its highest ranked opponent this season coming in then-No. 12 Indiana.
“Each team showed us something different, like playing in that tough environment in Indiana, because we’re going to have those in the Pac-12 since a lot of teams have high attendance,” said senior guard Japreece Dean.
The crosstown rivals have had only two mutual opponents so far this season — CSUN and Long Beach.
In their opening match of the season, the Trojans defeated the Matadors by 16 points and beat the Dirtbags by 17 points. The Bruins won their contests against the two squads by 14 points and 35 points, respectively.
UCLA and USC split the series one game apiece last season, with both teams picking up victories. The Bruins took the game at the Galen Center on Dec. 30. date by a score of 72-65, while the Trojans come out on top 72-67 at Pauley Pavilion, 72-67 on Jan. 20.
“I’m sure motivated by (last year’s loss at home),” Close said. “But I don’t know why you would need extra motivation for your rival coming in. You’re starting conference play in the No. 1 conference in the country – if I’ve got to motivate them for that, we’ve got bigger problems.”
The Trojans have added guard Endyia Rogers, who leads the team in both minutes and scoring, with 30.1 minutes per game and 11.4 points per game. She is shooting 34.6% from the field and 21.4% from beyond the arc.
Two of UCLA’s top-five scorers this season are new additions to the 2019-2020 roster – freshman guard Charisma Osborne and redshirt junior guard Natalie Chou.
Chou said she is excited to experience her first rivalry game as a Bruin.
“We love these kinds of games,” Chou said. “We know that both teams are going to bring intensity – it’s more than normal, it’s the best in (Los Angeles).”
Tipoff is scheduled at 1:00 p.m.
