JuJu Watkins calls Lauren Betts an "anomaly", explains doing whatever it took to stop the dominant UCLA star

The USC Trojans, highlighted by JuJu Watkins, just had one of their biggest victories of the 2024-2025 season on Thursday. In front of their home crowd, the sixth-ranked program in the country defeated the previously unbeaten UCLA Bruins by 71-60 to get their 12th win in conference play, 22nd overall.

Another feat the Lindsay Gottlieb-coached squad achieved was that it held junior stalwart Lauren Betts to somewhat of a containment, given that her outing on Thursday was not up to par with her top-tier standards. With this, it seems the Trojans fielded all their counter-attacks in such weather.

During the postgame press conference, Watkins detailed the collective effort it took for both backcourt and frontcourt players to try and contain Betts. As a result of them defending the budding star, USC was able to add to the win column unscathed.

"I said it earlier, Betts is just an anomaly," Watkins said (3:00). "I think it was just important that C (Akunwafo) and Rayah (Marshall) and Kiki (Iriafen) knew that the guards had their back as well and we're all in it together, and anyway I could help C out, really she could on her own, but I was able to get my hands on a lot of Betts' shots, and when it came down to the stretch of it.

"So, just any way I can help out defensively, I would be down to do it."

Still, the third-year UCLA center dropped 18 markers, 13 caroms and two assists for her team in 37 minutes. It seems Watkins and Co. did all they could on defense, which worked given USC's double-digit triumph.

On the other hand, Watkins had an exhilarating outing against the Bruins, going off for 38 points, including six three-balls, eleven boards, five assists, a swipe and a staggering eight blocks in 39 minutes.

No. 1-ranked win over the UCLA Bruins is the USC Trojans' first since 1998

Per Yahoo Sports, the USC Trojans win over the UCLA Bruins is the program's first win against a No. 1-ranked opponent since 1983. This comes decades after the Trojans defeated the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters in 1983 for the national championship game.

JuJu Watkins and the rest of the Trojans now look ahead to face the Washington Huskies on Tuesday on the road, with the hopes of staying in the win column.