Three flaming hot takes before UCLA tips-off vs USC

The USC women's basketball team landed five-star Sara Okeke this week, then the Trojans' men's team signed five-star Christian Collins on Wednesday.

UCLA guard Donovan Dent delivered 25-point, seven-assist performance, helping the Bruins earn a 89-68 win over rival USC at the Galen Center Saturday.

Rivalry games have a way of stripping a season down to its emotional bones. And sometimes the final score carries a clear verdict. On Saturday night inside the Galen Center, UCLA delivered one with ruthless clarity.

UCLA head coach Mick Cronin did a lot of trolling to the USC student section after defeating them on the road.

USC dropped yet another crucial matchup that it couldn't afford to lose, this time to their archrivals and fellow bubble team UCLA.

The Bruins, winners of 21 in a row and on the cusp of an undefeated Big Ten season, have assumed “a 1-0 mentality” going into Sunday’s regular-season finale.

The Bruins are the second overall seed, just behind the defending champions in the 34-0 UConn Huskies.

UCLA becomes the first women's basketball team in more than a decade to finish Big Ten play undefeated in a 73-50 victory over rival USC.

Even more dangerous, though, is USC. Sunday, the Trojans took down the Buckeyes in a monumental upset and will carry that momentum into the match against the Wolverines. Similarly to UCLA, USC has more ranked singles players but less ranked doubles teams than Michigan, meaning the Wolverines need their doubles teams to be perfect all weekend.