UCLA continues dominance of USC in 9th straight win over rival - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — Cori Close went with one of the more challenging nonconference schedules so that UCLA would be prepared for what could be the most rigorous Pac-12 races in conference history.

That certainly paid off Saturday in a battle of unbeaten crosstown rivals at a sold out Pauley Pavilion.

Londynn Jones scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, as second-ranked UCLA defeated No. 6 USC 71-64, despite 27 points and 11 rebounds from JuJu Watkins in what was the conference opener for both teams in the final season of the Pac-12.

Lauren Betts had 15 points and eight rebounds while Kiki Rice scored 12 for the Bruins (12-0, 1-0 Pac-12), who beat the Trojans for the ninth straight time.

UCLA has won all four games this season when going against ranked opponents, but the first three happened on the road or neutral courts.

«Today was like a Sweet 16 matchup. I think our nonconference schedule gave us a lot of experience,» Betts said. «I think we came in today knowing that whatever happens, we were going to be the tougher and more together team.»

The game was attended by 13,659 fans, breaking the UCLA women's basketball single-game mark. Among those in attendance were Clippers star Russell Westbrook, former NBA star Baron Davis and Las Vegas Aces GM Natalie Williams, all former UCLA standouts, as well as Candace Parker.

Watkins came in making 49.4% from the field, but was 7-of-24 for the worst-shooting game of her brief college career. She missed her first four from the field and had one stretch late in the second quarter and part of the third where she missed eight of nine.

«It's not great to lose personally, but this is a learning lesson,» said Watkins, who is second in the nation in scoring at 26.8 points per game. «We