Can You Pity a Struggling Rival?

“The short answer is no,” said UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close.

That’s fair enough. Yet, it’s hard not to feel a bit of sympathy for USC as they gear up for their final crosstown clash of the regular season this Sunday at the Galen Center. The Trojans have been fighting hard for a place in the NCAA Tournament, even without their key player, JuJu Watkins. But last week was tough for them; they lost both games on their Big Ten road trip, including a disappointing defeat to a Penn State team with a losing record.

Thinking back to their last matchup in January at Pauley Pavilion, things didn’t go well for USC. Former Bruins guard Londyn Jones struggled, making only 1 of 9 shots in a game that ended with a 34-point loss.

Close believes there’s no need to feel sorry for a team like USC, which still has formidable players like Jazzy Davidson and Kennedy Smith, even without Watkins. “Most teams in the country would die for it,” Close remarked. “They’re still a really good basketball team. JuJu is an exceptional player, but they aren’t in my pity pool. They’re just trying to win games, and that keeps me focused on what we need to do.”

USC’s coach, Lindsey Gottlieb, has said that the previous blowout loss was an anomaly, a point that’s held up as the Trojans (17-11, 9-8 Big Ten) have not lost by more than seven points since then. Still, they’ve not faced an opponent as strong as the second-place Bruins (27-1, 17-0).

This season, the Bruins are on track to be the first Big Ten team since Maryland in 2014-15 to finish the regular season undefeated. That’s pretty impressive! But UCLA guard Gabriella Jack isn’t focused solely on that. “I’m not necessarily thinking about that,” she said. “We’ll try our best in every game, and I think that will lead to wins in the end.”

With a victory this Sunday and a championship at the Big Ten Tournament, the Bruins could put themselves in the running for the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Still, there’s a desire for revenge against their rivals. Last season, USC took the first two games against UCLA, ultimately securing the conference title. After winning at Pauley Pavilion, Close notably threw his clipboard in frustration—a moment that’s set to be featured in the upcoming documentary “YOU SEE LA,” airing on FS1 right after Sunday’s game.

While the Bruins got their retribution by defeating USC in the Big Ten Tournament title match, a win on Sunday would also mean the Trojans could clinch their third consecutive victory.

USC announced the game sold out at the Galen Center, which bolsters their home-court advantage. The venue has seen the Trojans win 12 out of 15 games this season, including victories over the Bruins in their last two encounters on this court.

“Good luck,” Close said, expressing concerns about the tough atmosphere. “Playing in conditions like that takes a lot of challenges and maybe even some adversity we didn’t realize we had, but those experiences can bring out the best in us.” He added, “A crowded arena, with everyone opposing you, is a true test. We just have to figure out how to make plays to reach our goals. So let’s start on Sunday.”