JuJu Watkins continued her dominance against UCLA women’s basketball, scoring 30 points in No. 4 USC’s 80-67 win over the No. 2 Bruins on Saturday night. The win secured USC’s first Big Ten regular-season title in its debut season and extended Watkins’ historic streak against UCLA,  that which reflects an historic streak set by former Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark during the 2023-24 season.

With 68 combined points in the two crosstown rivalry matchups this season, Watkins has now recorded four consecutive 30-point games against UCLA. According to ESPN Research, that streak is tied for the third-longest against a single opponent in Division I since the 1999-2000 season. The only player with longer streaks is NCAA women’s basketball legend Caitlin Clark, who had 10 straight 30-point performances against Nebraska and five in a row versus Minnesota, according to Paolo Uggetti of ESPN.

Watkins set the tone early, scoring 23 points in the first half as USC (26-2, 17-1 Big Ten) built a 46-32 lead at halftime. She fueled a key second-quarter surge, scoring six straight points before assisting on two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help extend the Trojans’ lead to 19.

Kiki Iriafen contributed 17 points and nine rebounds, while USC’s defense forced 16 turnovers, leading to 25 points. UCLA (27-2, 16-2 Big Ten) struggled to find its rhythm, missing its first eight shots and never holding a lead. Kiki Rice led the Bruins with 16 points, while Lauren Betts finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Despite the pressure of playing in a sold-out Pauley Pavilion, Watkins remained composed — even when UCLA fans taunted her after a third-quarter air ball.

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“I knew when I airballed, I couldn’t help but smile. I love the atmosphere here even though they’re not on our side,” Watkins said, as reported by Beth Harris of the Associated Press. “The whole crowd was just unbelievable on both sides.”

Watkins’ ability to take over games has drawn praise from head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, who has highlighted Watkins’ competitive drive.

“You want to do your best,” Watkins said. “You don’t want to let anybody down.”

Both teams now shift their focus to the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, where they each have a double-bye and will play their first games on Friday.