On one side of town is a defending national champion that reloaded like a rich kid with his parent’s credit card at Erewhon.
asserted
that → defend → Erewhon
On the other side is a team that might feature even more talent, including the most electrifying basketball player in Los Angeles.
uncertain
that → feature → Angeles
The real winner in the renewal of a rivalry that’s ready to push past maximum volume and go to 11?
Everybody.
asserted
that → ’ → 11
Whether you root for UCLA or USC, it’s going to be a slam-dunk season for women’s basketball in LA.
asserted
it → root → LA
“I think we’ll see record crowds everywhere we go,” Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb said Wednesday at Big Ten media days, “but there’s a special buzz when it’s the crosstown showdown.”
asserted
it → think → days
The first clue that these teams will hold sway in this ficklest of places can be found in the names.
asserted
teams → hold → names
Last names aren’t necessary when you possess this kind of star power
JuJu Watkins was recognized walking around Chicago on Tuesday, humbly pausing to indulge those who tried to engage her.
Jazzy Davidson drew millions of views on social media just by throwing up the two-finger Victory Salute at a recent USC football game.
asserted
Davidson → possess → game
Sienna Betts is also instantly recognized, not just for the older sister who plays in the WNBA but her own emerging fame.
asserted
who → recognize → WNBA
This rivalry has been veering into overdrive for several years now, with sellout crowds, massive TV ratings and sibling rivals Reggie Miller (UCLA) and Cheryl (USC) sitting courtside.
asserted
crowds → veer → years
It took a slight dip last season when Watkins, a onetime Wooden Award winner, sat out with the devastating knee injury she suffered in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
asserted
she → take → Tournament
UCLA went on to wallop the Trojans in both meetings before doing the same thing to the other USC — South Carolina — while winning its first NCAA championship.
asserted
UCLA → go → championship
Watkins’ return means that the rivalry might be on the verge of unprecedented heights.
uncertain
rivalry → mean → heights
“Just super excited to see how everything pans out,” Watkins said.
asserted
Watkins → see → ?
The Trojans have a Big 3 in Watkins, Davidson and five-star freshman Saniyah Hall — along with a strong supporting cast — though Gottlieb doesn’t use the term superteam.
asserted
Gottlieb → have → superteam
“I’ve never called it that,” Gottlieb said.
asserted
Gottlieb → call → it
“We’ve just tried to assemble a team that we think can have championship aspirations.
asserted
we → try → aspirations
We’ve got a lot of excellent players that are all going to play whatever role they’re asked to the best of their ability, and if you do that at the highest level, it becomes a superteam.”
asserted
it → get → level
Across town, the intrigue revolves around the Bruins replacing their top six players after losing Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice, Gabriela Jaquez, Angela Dugalic, Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker to the WNBA.
asserted
Bruins → revolve → WNBA
They went about it with a heavy infusion of players from the transfer portal, including the telling return of a player who departed the previous year.
asserted
who → go → player
Finding there was indeed something finer than North Carolina, point guard Elina Aarnisalo came back to UCLA after having spent her freshman season with the Bruins in 2024-25 and her sophomore season as a Tar Heel.
asserted
Aarnisalo → find → Heel
But will it be enough to make UCLA a contender in 2026-27?
asserted
UCLA → make → 2026
The Bruins suffered a big setback earlier this week when guard-forward Lena Bilic, who was expected to be a major contributor, suffered a knee injury that will keep her out for the entire season.
asserted
that → suffer → season
Betts and fellow returner Timea Gardiner — who sat out last season while recovering from her own knee injury — said their team might be overlooked despite being the defending national champs.
uncertain
team → sit → injury
“Isn’t that cool?” UCLA coach Cori Close said, adding that adopting that mindset would allow her team to focus on its own values and process while ignoring outside expectations.
“
asserted
team → say → expectations
I do think
asserted
I → think → ?
the only thing that does the talking is just go win and the rest will take care of itself.”
Long a champion of women’s basketball, Close considers herself in a partnership with USC to grow the game in LA.
asserted
herself → do → LA
This season, that growth can continue to transcend gender.
asserted
growth → continue → gender
“We have an opportunity just to impact Los Angeles for basketball — forget just women’s basketball — for fans of the game,” Close said, “because both programs are going to play it at such a high level.”
asserted
programs → impact → level
The teams are scheduled to meet twice in February, with another matchup or two possible in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments for teams with championship aspirations.
asserted
matchup → schedule → aspirations
Anyone who wants to be part of the greatest showdown in town shouldn’t wait.
asserted
who → want → town
“If you intend to come,” Gottlieb said, “you should get your tickets early.”
asserted
you → intend → tickets
The Aporia
