No. 4 Ucla Finds New Tough, Aggressive Approach Delivers Big Ten Title Win Over No. 2 Usc

Coach Cori Close challenged UCLA to arrive at the Big Ten Tournament as a tougher, more aggressive group than the one that lost to its dreaded rival, USC, last weekend.

The changes certainly worked in Sunday's title game.

UCLA dug down and overcame major foul trouble, a huge rebounding disparity, two dozen turnovers, their star's first-half struggles and, eventually, a 13-point deficit to beat No. 2 USC 72-67 for their first Big Ten tourney title.

"I'm kind of speechless right now," All-American center Lauren Betts said after cutting down the nets in Indianapolis. "I think the work that was done in the dark last week showed today."

Betts, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, didn't need to elaborate on what happened behind the scenes because it was evident to anyone who saw the Bruins 30-2 dancing and jumping around in the confetti nine days after enduring a deflating and confounding 80-67 loss at home to allow the same Trojans to celebrate the regular-season title.