The USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins are meeting for a second time this season. It’s unlikely that things will be as easy for the Bruins the second time around. UCLA grabbed a 80-46 win over USC earlier this season at Pauley Pavilion.
USC still hasn’t figured things out
USC is still scuffling, having lost two in a row including a home loss to the lowly Penn State Nittany Lions. The Trojans will be ready to go, with a chance to snap UCLA’s 21-game winning streak and with the game being USC’s final home game of the season.
Rust or rest?
UCLA hasn’t taken the court in a little while, having not played since their Senior Day win over Wisconsin last Sunday. The Bruins got the win over the Badgers, but it was far from their best showing this season.
West Coast is the best coast for the Big Ten
Sunday’s game against the Trojans will determine if the Bruins can sweep the Big Ten regular season in just their second season in the conference. It’d be an impressive start to Big Ten play for the Bruins, who also won the Big Ten tournament last year. USC won last year’s Big Ten regular season championship.
USC needs to better in the paint in order to compete
In the last meeting between UCLA and USC, it was the Bruins’ dominance in the paint that was the biggest difference. The Bruins scored 42 points in the paint while the Trojans had only ten. With Lauren Betts, Angela Dugalic and the rest of the UCLA squad still healthy, it’s hard to imagine that changes all that much in the second meeting.
One last crack at USC for the Bruins seniors
While it’s possible the teams face each other for a third time this season in the Big Ten tournament but this could be the final rivalry matchup for Betts, Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez. This core of UCLA Bruins have helped create a rivalry against the JuJu Watkins-led Trojans. Watkins remains out for USC but UCLA will look to close this chapter against USC with a victory.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Preview: UCLA aims to knock down USC for a second time this season
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
