Sun Devils on the hunt for upset against top-10 USC and UCLA

(Photo via Spencer Barnes/WCSN)

ASU women’s basketball will take on its second away stint of Pac-12 Conference play, traveling west to take on No. 10 USC (14-4, 6-4 Pac 12) and No. 9 UCLA (17-4, 6-4 Pac 12). This will be Arizona State’s last time traveling to the City of Angels as part of the Pac-12, and it will be one of the Sun Devils’ (10-12, 2-8 Pac-12) toughest trips seen all season.

The last time the Sun Devils took the court was Sunday in a 63-52 loss against Arizona, where they struggled offensively, shooting 35% from the field and 27% from three. Sophomore guard Trayanna Crisp was a bright spot for ASU, leading them in scoring with 15 points and also grabbing five boards.

The Sun Devils will travel to USC on Friday for a game that will likely be an uphill battle from the start for ASU. The Trojans are led by star 6-foot-2 freshman guard JuJu Watkins, who can do everything on the floor. Watkins is currently second in the nation in points per game at 27.3 while also grabbing seven rebounds, three assists and nearly three blocks per game.

Watkins isn’t the only option for head coach Lindsay Gottlieb and the Trojans, as this team is filled with very capable scorers and versatile players. Senior guard McKenzie Forbes has been a great offensive sidekick for Watkins as the team’s second-leading scorer at 13 points a game. However, the Trojans could not be as successful this season without Junior center Rayah Marshall. Marshall has done it on both ends of the floor, averaging a near double-double on the season at nine points and nine rebounds, as well as blocking just under two shots a game.

USC has been a threat to claim the final Pac-12 championship title but will still have to go through its cross-town rival, UCLA.

UCLA women’s basketball is a powerhouse team and has been all season. The Bruins are led by 13th-year head coach Cori Close. They excel on both offense and defense, averaging 85.1 points per game on 45% from the field. Defensively, they force their opponents to make around 16 turnovers a game and hold teams to less than 38% from the field.

The Bruins’ offensive outburst can all be drawn to how well they play together. UCLA has five different double-digit scorers, which leads the Pac-12. That teamwork doesn’t just get shown moving the ball but also rebounding as well. Rebounding by committee is something the Bruins do extremely well, and they are second in the conference in that category.

The Bruins’ three-headed backcourt keeps the gas on the pedal. Senior guard Charisma Osborne and sophomore guards Londynn Jones and sophomore Kiki Rice are all double-digit scorers and have played in all 21 games this season for UCLA.

That same availability can’t be said for sophomore center Lauren Betts. She has also been a major contributor when she has been on the court averaging 15 points and eight rebounds a game, but hasn’t seen action since a 94-82 OT loss to Utah on Jan. 22.

Since then, UCLA has gone 2-2 and will play Arizona on Friday before taking on ASU on Sunday.

This weekend’s matchups will surely give ASU a tough time, but a win in either game would be a major step forward for head coach Natasha Adair and company.