The Best 20 Seasons (Combined)
By analyzing the statisctics of the best twenty team performances between both USC and UCLA, we can see what leads to each team's sucess, which school has a more consistent record, and ultimately who has the more dominant program.
Click on first column of a season for a detailed analysis. Hovering over the first column will highlight your selected year. Hovering over dashed, underlined column headers reveals definitions
USC & UCLA, 2006-2026
| Team | Season | Conf | W | L | W-L% | W | L | W-L% | SRS | SOS | PS/G | PA/G | Coach(es) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 2025-26 | Big Ten | 23 | 1 | 0.958 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 48.26 | 19.26 | 86 | 57 | Cori Close (23-1) |
| UCLA | 2024-25 | Big Ten | 34 | 3 | 0.919 | 15 | 2 | 0.882 | 37.95 | 18.68 | 77.9 | 58.6 | Cori Close (34-3) |
| USC | 2024-25 | Big Ten | 31 | 4 | 0.886 | 16 | 1 | 0.941 | 39.46 | 18.18 | 80.7 | 59.4 | Lindsay Gottlieb (31-4) |
| UCLA | 2010-11 | Pac-10 | 28 | 5 | 0.848 | 16 | 2 | 0.889 | 22.38 | 12.07 | 65.6 | 55.3 | Nikki Fargas (28-5) |
| UCLA | 2019-20 | Pac-12 | 26 | 5 | 0.839 | 14 | 4 | 0.778 | 23.8 | 13.02 | 72.6 | 61.9 | Cori Close (26-5) |
| USC | 2023-24 | Pac-12 | 29 | 6 | 0.829 | 13 | 5 | 0.722 | 30.21 | 17.78 | 74.9 | 62.5 | Lindsay Gottlieb (29-6) |
| UCLA | 2023-24 | Pac-12 | 27 | 7 | 0.794 | 13 | 5 | 0.722 | 34 | 17.82 | 77.3 | 61.1 | Cori Close (27-7) |
| UCLA | 2017-18 | Pac-12 | 27 | 8 | 0.771 | 14 | 4 | 0.778 | 28.97 | 17.03 | 75.5 | 63.5 | Cori Close (27-8) |
| UCLA | 2012-13 | Pac-12 | 26 | 8 | 0.765 | 14 | 4 | 0.778 | 19.89 | 12.78 | 67.5 | 60.4 | Cori Close (26-8) |
| UCLA | 2015-16 | Pac-12 | 26 | 9 | 0.743 | 14 | 4 | 0.778 | 25.36 | 15.53 | 73.8 | 64 | Cori Close (26-9) |
| UCLA | 2020-21 | Pac-12 | 17 | 6 | 0.739 | 12 | 4 | 0.75 | 31.97 | 18.84 | 71.4 | 58.3 | Cori Close (17-6) |
| UCLA | 2016-17 | Pac-12 | 25 | 9 | 0.735 | 13 | 5 | 0.722 | 27.58 | 17.23 | 74.1 | 63.8 | Cori Close (25-9) |
| UCLA | 2009-10 | Pac-10 | 25 | 9 | 0.735 | 15 | 3 | 0.833 | 23.44 | 13.12 | 67.8 | 57.5 | Nikki Fargas (25-9) |
| UCLA | 2022-23 | Pac-12 | 27 | 10 | 0.73 | 11 | 7 | 0.611 | 24.93 | 16.87 | 69.7 | 61.7 | Cori Close (27-10) |
| USC | 2017-18 | Pac-12 | 20 | 11 | 0.645 | 9 | 9 | 0.5 | 19.57 | 12.48 | 67.7 | 60.6 | Mark Trakh (20-11) |
| USC | 2013-14 | Pac-12 | 22 | 13 | 0.629 | 11 | 7 | 0.611 | 15.03 | 12.46 | 67.1 | 64.6 | Cynthia Cooper (22-13) |
| UCLA | 2018-19 | Pac-12 | 22 | 13 | 0.629 | 12 | 6 | 0.667 | 22.56 | 17.59 | 73.7 | 68.8 | Cori Close (22-13) |
| USC | 2009-10 | Pac-10 | 19 | 12 | 0.613 | 12 | 6 | 0.667 | 15.58 | 14.97 | 64.8 | 64.2 | Michael Cooper (19-12) |
| UCLA | 2008-9 | Pac-12 | 19 | 12 | 0.613 | 9 | 9 | 0.5 | 66.6 | 61.6 | Nikki Fargas (19-12) | ||
| USC | 2011-12 | Pac-12 | 18 | 12 | 0.6 | 12 | 6 | 0.667 | 15.72 | 12.45 | 64 | 60.7 | Michael Cooper (18-12) |
Conclusion
In the broader 20-year view, the USC–UCLA women’s basketball rivalry has remained fiercely competitive, though each program has followed a different path. UCLA has generally been more consistent, regularly reaching the NCAA tournament and earning its first Final Four appearance in 2025 behind standout performances from Lauren Betts. Meanwhile, USC’s trajectory has surged upward in recent seasons, highlighted by major wins over top-ranked UCLA teams and a Big Ten regular-season title in its first year in the conference, led by stars like JuJu Watkins.
Head-to-head matchups across this span reflect how evenly matched these crosstown rivals remain, with key games often shaping conference standings and postseason momentum. Looking back over two decades shows that both programs have built strong national identities: UCLA through steady excellence and historic milestones, and USC through powerful recent breakthroughs. The rivalry’s past suggests its future will remain just as competitive and meaningful.