By Mitchell Rans

Sports Capital Journalism Program

INDIANAPOLIS – A week after her USC Trojans had celebrated on the home court of the UCLA Bruins, a regular-season sweep of their rival complete, JuJu Watkins left the floor at Gainbridge Fieldhouse alone.

The third meeting between the crosstown rivals ended with the No. 4-ranked Bruins limiting Watkins to 9-for-28 shooting in the 72-67 come-from-behind victory that gave UCLA its first Big Ten women’s basketball championship.

One day after the Trojans (28-3) had been challenged by Michigan in a semifinal, Watkins and her teammates struggled in the second half. They made just 22% of their shots, including 13% from 3-point range. Watkins, near the end of a season in which she could become National Player of the Year, was limited to 4-for-15 shooting in the second half, 1-for-5 from beyond the line.

“We’re always positive,” Watkins said. “…We came out with the right energy. I just don’t think our shots were falling, and we tried to get it back, but we couldn’t.”

Watkins scored 80 points in the three tournament games, an average of 26.7, and seemed sure to become the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player when the Trojans took a 13-point lead at the start of the third quarter. UCLA (30-2) appeared to benefit from the rest its starters received near the end of a one-sided semifinal victory over Ohio State.

“We had a closer game yesterday than they did,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “We went 2 for 15 in the second half from three, and they were 6 for 9 from the first half from three, so they were more efficient, but still not as good….It just makes for a different feel for the whole thing. It was a heavyweight fight, and I think both teams brought the intensity level for sure.”

With a nine-game winning streak suddenly ended, Watkins and the Trojans were left to prepare for the NCAA tournament. Gottlieb said she felt that the winner of Sunday’s game should receive the top overall seed for the tournament. The Trojans remained in the running for a No. 1 seed in another region, with the potential chance to play teams that are not as familiar with USC as the new Big Ten opponents that met them multiple times.

“I think it’s always hard,” Watkins said. “Of course, three times, even two times, just knowing that we’ve already done our scout, they’ve done our scout. So figuring out ways to tweak it. But we were excited to play them as well. It’s not like we shy away from competition. We’re always grateful to play them because they push us, and we push them. We were very welcoming to this game. Our coach has prepared us. We struggled in the second half.”