Rivalries in sports always bring intensity, and for JuJu Watkins, the battle against UCLA has been nothing short of personal. In a behind-the-scenes moment caught on a YouTube vlog, the USC Trojans sophomore made her feelings crystal clear before stepping onto the court.
JuJu Watkins Fuels USC’s Dominance Over UCLA with History-Making Performance
They say the voices in your head never lie. Hours before the Trojans secured a monumental 80-67 victory over the Bruins to clinch the Big Ten regular-season title, Watkins’ raw emotions surfaced. It was an unfiltered moment that fans won’t soon forget.
What started as a lighthearted glimpse into the team’s pre-game routine quickly turned into a viral moment. USC guard Kennedy Smith was casually filming a vlog, offering a playful look at a “day in the life” of a Trojan, when Watkins’ voice cut through the chatter with a blunt declaration: “Bro, I hate UCLA.”
“bro i hate ucla” – juju randomly in the background before the ucla game 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/nnXdzYV5Yt
— Watkins Report (@JWatkinsReport) March 5, 2025
The comment didn’t sound like some words—it was a promise. She followed up by putting on a dominant display, leading her team with 30 points and ensuring that UCLA left the court with nothing but frustration.
Watkins had every reason to be fired up. UCLA had won three of the last five matchups, including a painful buzzer-beater loss for USC last season. But this time, Watkins made sure there was no doubt about who owned the night.
“You want to do your best,” she said. “You don’t want to let anybody down.”
Her performance was a masterclass in shot-making. She drained four of USC’s eight three-pointers, delivering daggers that deflated UCLA’s defense. Her first shot from deep found the net in the opening quarter, setting the tone for the night.
Another three-pointer followed in the second quarter, but she struggled from beyond the arc in the second half, missing a pair in the third and fourth quarters. However, when her outside shot wasn’t falling, she didn’t hesitate to shift gears, attacking the paint with relentless aggression.
The Bruins’ student section did their best to rattle her, chanting “Airball! Airball!” after a couple of misfires from deep. But if they thought that would throw her off, they were mistaken.
Watkins shrugged off the noise and delivered when it mattered most. She finished 4-of-11 from three-point range on her way to 30 points, proving once again that UCLA had no answer for her. Just last month, she torched the Bruins for 38 points. This time, the result was the same: dominance.
Watkins’ impact wasn’t limited to scoring. She was a defensive force, tallying three blocks and making her presence known on both ends of the floor. One of her most defining moments came in the fourth quarter when UCLA closed the gap to just four points.
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With the game hanging in the balance, she delivered a vicious swat that sent the ball flying, a statement play punctuated by an icy stare into the camera. This wasn’t just another game for her—this was about sending a message.
Despite the celebration after the final buzzer, Watkins stood out from her teammates in one noticeable way. While the rest of the team donned Big Ten championship hats and T-shirts, she opted out. When asked about it, she had a simple reason.
“I don’t really wear hats because I have the bun,” she said, drawing laughs from the media.
With USC now turning its focus to the NCAA Tournament, Watkins made one thing clear: she’s not satisfied yet. “I’m confident,” she stated, as reported by Beth Harris of the Associated Press. “The work speaks for itself, so as long as we continue to stick with the process, we’ll see success.”
JuJu Watkins Making NCAA History Alongside Caitlin Clark
Watkins isn’t just leading USC to wins—she’s rewriting the NCAA record books in the process. With her latest 30-point outing, she became only the second player this century to score 30 or more points in four straight games against the same opponent.
The only other player to achieve that feat? Iowa legend Caitlin Clark.
Clark holds the record for the most consecutive 30-point performances against a single team, dropping 10 straight against Nebraska and five against Maryland. Now, Watkins has put herself in the same conversation, proving that her dominance isn’t just a one-game fluke—it’s a pattern.
The sophomore guard has already secured National Player of the Year honors from The Athletic and remains in contention for multiple national awards. One of those is the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, which she won last season. Her impact has been undeniable, and her name continues to be at the forefront of national discussions.
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With their victory, the Trojans locked up the Big Ten regular-season title and completed a season sweep of their biggest rival. For UCLA, the loss was a tough pill to swallow. The Bruins finished the regular season 27-2 overall and 16-2 in conference play, with both of their losses coming at the hands of USC.
Just a year ago, in the final season of the Pac-12, these two teams finished tied for second behind Stanford. This time, USC left no doubt, standing alone at the top of the Big Ten. And leading the way? Watkins isn’t just collecting wins—she’s making history every step of the way.
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