No. 4 USC wins Big Ten regular-season title with 80-67 win over rival No. 2 UCLA
LOS ANGELES (AP) — JuJu Watkins scored 30 points and No. 4 Southern California defeated second-ranked UCLA 80-67 on Saturday night to clinch the program’s first Big Ten regular-season title in its league debut.
The crosstown rivals came into the sold-out game at Pauley Pavilion tied for first. The Trojans (26-2, 17-1 Big Ten) completed a season sweep of the Bruins (27-2, 16-2), whose only losses came against USC, including a 71-60 defeat at Galen Center two weeks ago.
This time, Watkins scored 23 points in the first half. She ran off six straight to send USC into halftime ahead 46-32. Watkins assisted on back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth that extended USC’s lead to 19.
Kiki Iriafen had 17 points and nine rebounds for USC.
Kiki Rice led the Bruins with 16 points. Lauren Betts was held to 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Singer John Legend, comedian Leslie Jones and brother-and-sister Hall of Famers Reggie Miller and Cheryl Miller and Ann Meyers Drysdale were among the crowd.
NO. 18 WEST VIRGINIA 85, CINCINNATI 69
CINCINNATI (AP) — JJ Quinerly scored 24 of her 31 points in the first half and No. 18 West Virginia closed the regular season with a win over Cincinnati.
The Mountaineers have a first-round bye in the Big 12 Conference tournament that starts Wednesday in Kansas City. The Bearcats will play the first day but the opponent won’t be determined until the season ends on Sunday.
Jordan Harrison added 21 points and Jordan Thomas had 16 for West Virginia (23-6, 13-5). Quinerly, coming off a career-high 38-point game, had seven rebounds and seven assists. Harrison had four steals.
Jillian Hayes had 20 points, eight rebounds and three steals for Cincinnati (15-13, 7-11). Tineya Hylton added 15.
West Virginia forced at least 15 turnovers in every game this season, but the Bearcats’ 16 were the second fewest of any opponent and eight fewer than the last meeting.
The Mountaineers had a 47-29 rebounding advantage and 21-11 on the offensive end, good for 28 second-chance points.
NO. 23 MICHIGAN STATE 73, MINNESOTA 58
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Grace VanSlooten scored 15 points and led a fourth-quarter charge that lifted No. 23 Michigan State to a win over Minnesota as both teams ended the regular season.
The Spartans secured a first-round bye in the Big Ten Conference tournament that begins Wednesday in Indianapolis. The Golden Gophers will play on the first day with the opponent determined on Sunday when the regular season concludes.
Minnesota scored the first two baskets of the fourth quarter, taking a 50-46 lead on a 3-pointer by Grace Grocholski. Shortly after that six different players scored in a 13-0 run with VanSlooten’s jumper making it 61-52. That started a string of seven-straight VanSlooten points for MIchigan State.
Minnesota went almost eight minutes between field goals, missing seven straight, and finished the quarter 4 of 15. Michigan State was 9 of 12.
Julia Ayrault, who tied the school record with 136 games played, and Ines Sotelo both had 13 points for the Spartans (21-8, 11-7). Jaddan Simmons added 11 points and Nyla Hampton had 10.
Grocholski had 26 points for Minnesota (20-10, 8-10). Tori McKinney added 17 points and Amaya Battle had 11.