USC vs. UCLA

USC Trojans vs. UCLA Bruins

With so much attention paid to the white-hot rivalry between the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins on the football field, it's easy to forget that those two schools make up one of the best basketball rivalries in college basketball as well. Separated by just 12 miles, the two campuses have seen their share of success on the basketball court, as they have taken turns getting the better of each other over the years.

At one point, USC defeated UCLA 42 straight times, a number that was once the record for the most wins by a college basketball team over one opponent. However, John Wooden transformed UCLA into a national powerhouse, evening out the rivalry and tilting it in UCLA's favor eventually. With both teams having periods of dominance over the other, key players for both teams have had to make their presence felt against the opposition.

For UCLA, the list of all-time great players that have passed through their program is a long one, with legends like Bill Walton and Lew Alcindor, also known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar taking the court for them against the Trojans. On the USC side, standouts like Paul Westphal and Harold Miner have made sure that the rivalry was a two-way street.

Historic USC vs. UCLA Basketball Games

The 1984-1985 season featured some of the best basketball between the Trojans and Bruins, with a combined six overtimes being played by the two teams in their two matchups during that season. USC won the first game in double overtime by a score of 78-77, and then won a quadruple overtime thriller at Pauley Pavilion, 80-78. The two wins helped USC get into the NCAA Tournament that year, while UCLA won the NIT, but could have made the NCAA Tournament if not for those two close losses.

In the 1970-71 season, USC suffered two losses all year. Both of them happened to come at the hands of UCLA, who swept the season series. USC had a nine point lead heading into the second half of their first matchup of the season, before suffering a painful loss in the second half. Making the loss more painful was the fact that only conference champions were admitted to the NCAA Tournament at that time, which meant that UCLA was in and the Trojans were out, as this was before the tournament had room for at-large bids.

For more info on basketball games between UCLA and USC, click here.

When Does USC Play UCLA?

USC and UCLA typically play each other in two games per regular season, with the potential for more meetings should both teams square off in the Pac-12 Tournament. Having multiple matchups allows the teams to each host one game in the rivalry each year, with USC's home games taking place at the Galen Center and UCLA's at Pauley Pavilion.

To get a look at the upcoming matchups between the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans, scroll up to get a look at our listings.