Three Lessons the USC Trojans Can Learn From UCLA's Championship Run

The USC Trojans women's basketball team doesn't need any reminders about who just won the national championship, but ignoring the UCLA Bruins' blueprint would be a would be a mistake. In a year where all the pieces came together, UCLA finally was able to capitalize on a formula that USC is still chasing. At this point, if the Trojans want to win a title in 2027, the gap isn't because of talent, but more so execution.

Rivalries rarely allow for praise. USC won't publicly applaud UCLA. Still, the Bruins' championship run three clear lessons that translate directly to where USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb’s program is headed next.

Strong Defense Is A Foundational Standard

USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb USC Trojans guard JuJu Watkins UCLA Bruins forward Lauren Betts NCAA championship Big Ten — Apr 5, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks forward Joyce Edwards (8) shoots against UCLA Bruins forward Gabriela Jaquez (11) and guard Gianna Kneepkens (8) and center Lauren Betts (51) in the second half during the National Championship game of the women's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The biggest calling card for the Lady Bruins on their title run was how dominant their defense performed. UCLA only allowed opponents to score 65 points or more nine times all season, capping the season off holding the Texas Longhorns to 44 points in the Finals Four and the South Carolina Gamecocks to 51 in the championship game.

On the season, the Lady Bruins held opponents to a mere 35.8 percent shooting from the field and 27.5 percent from three, both the best in the Big Ten. They also won on the glass, leading the conference in defensive rebounding with 28.4 boards per game. By making scoring difficult for opposing teams and limiting possessions, the Lady Bruins spent most of the year winning in blowout fashion. UCLA finished the season with a point differential of +27.4, best in the Big Ten and fifth in the nation.

On the other hand, USC was solid defensively this season but nowhere near dominant. The Trojans were allowing 40 percent shooting from the field and 29.3 percent from three, both ranking top-5 in the Big Ten. But where they struggled mightily was on the boards. USC ranked in the bottom half of the Big Ten in defensive rebounding (24.6), while also giving up the most defensive rebounds in the conference (25.7).

USC will have a lot of defensive versatility with the guard trio of JuJu Watkins, Jazzy Davidson and Kennedy Smith at the helm. Elite defense not only travels, but it sclase with the competition. Even with all the star power they'll have next season, the Trojans will need to a top defense in the country if they want to be able to hang with teams like the UConn Huskies, Texas Longhorns and other title contenders.

Experience Still Decides March

UCLA's title wasn't built overnight. From 2016 to 2024, the Lady Bruins repeatedly fell short in the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight. Those losses became the foundation. This year, they looked different and in turn, they were able to sustain the formula that brought them so much success in the regular season.

USC is on a similar building path under coach Gottlieb. Since taking over in 2021, Gottlieb has two Elite Eight appearances and have made multiple tournament runs. Now they bring back Watkins and Smith as the veterans along with Davidson who shined in her first taste of the March Madness spotlight.

Bringing in more veteran talent should be a priorty for the Trojans given the youth of Davidson and the incoming star-studded recruiting class. But even for the five-star freshman trio of Saniyah Hall, Sitaya Fagan and Sara Okeke, they are all familiar with playing on big stages and with high expectations. UCLA proved that experience turns potential into results. USC’s core now has to take that same step.

Trust in Talent Pipelines

UCLA built their foundation by relying on hometown influence. Star forward Lauren Betts was acquired in the transfer portal after wasting away on the bench at Stanford. The backcourt of Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jaquez both have California ties as well as familial ties to UCLA. From there, the Bruins added key transfer pieces to complete the roster.

USC is building a bit differently, but the principle still applies. Watkins and Smith give the Trojans a strong Southern California foundation. Around them, the Trojans have leaned heavily into elite recruiting landing the last two No.1 ranked high school recruits in Davidson and Hall. They also took a step further, going the international route to grab two more of the top talents in Fagan and Okeke.

The structure is there but the next step is cohesion. UCLA showed that when your core identity is clear, the rest follows. The bottom line is that USC doesn't need to copy UCLA, but it does need to learn from them. Defense, experience, and roster balance aren’t optional at the championship level. They’re the price of entry.

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