And the Oscar goes to…

JuJu Watkins paints LA red

No. 4 USC is taking over, claiming the Big Ten’s regular-season title and No. 1 conference tournament seed after Saturday’s dominant 80-67 win over No. 2 UCLA.

• USC star sophomore JuJu Watkins dropped 30 points in the victory, sealing the Trojans’ regular-season sweep against the Bruins with 68 points over two games.

• Watkins has scored at least 30 points against UCLA in the pair’s last four matchups — a streak that dates back to last season.

Big picture: While UCLA outranked USC for most of the year, the Trojans owned the crosstown rivals’ head-to-head record, handing the Bruins their only two losses this season.

• “I think I would be remiss to say playing UCLA doesn't motivate me extra,” a smiling Watkins told reporters after Saturday’s win.

Zeroing in: The game likely cemented Watkins’s National Player of the Year odds, with the guard once again capitalizing on one of the season’s biggest moments.

• “She’s 19 years old. Her talent is off the charts,” USC coach Lindsey Gottlieb said, reflecting on Watkins’s performance. “But it’s her humility and the stuff you can’t teach, the inner drive.”

Bottom line: The Trojans are riding high, but the battle is far from over as the Big Ten’s LA frontrunners begin the fight to determine if the NCAA tournament’s No. 1 seed will be rocking UCLA Blue or USC Cardinal.

NCAA brackets take shape

The weekend’s NCAA basketball action saw the rest of the field settle into their conference tournament seeds — and pick up some regular-season hardware along the way.

• No. 1 Texas and No. 6 South Carolina finished the weekend tied atop the SEC, prompting a coin flip that saw South Carolina claim the conference tournament’s No. 1 seed.

• No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 9 NC State similarly split regular-season ACC honors, though NC State secured the conference’s No. 1 seed thanks to the Wolfpack’s head-to-head advantage.

Big picture: Half the teams featured in the NCAA’s most recent seeding projections have lost at least one game since last week’s rankings update — another example of the year’s surging parity.

• The setbacks could put UCLA and Notre Dame in jeopardy of losing their projected NCAA tournament No. 1 seeds, with both teams banking on strong conference tournament performances to bolster regular-season records.

• Big 12 regular-season champs No. 10 TCU could now push past a Flau’jae Johnson-less No. 7 LSU after the Tigers’ upset loss to Ole Miss on Sunday, while No. 12 Ohio State will have to use the Big Ten tournament to boost their prospects after Sunday’s overtime loss to No. 19 Maryland.

What’s next: Conference tournaments tip off on Wednesday, as national tournament odds hang in the balance — and major upsets rise across the NCAA.

Injury cuts Girma’s WSL debut short

USWNT star Naomi Girma made her long-awaited WSL debut on Sunday, featuring in Chelsea’s 2-2 draw against Brighton before exiting in the 59th minute with a lingering leg injury.

• Girma missed the USWNT’s February international break with the same calf issue that delayed her introduction in London, after joining the team in January via a record-shattering transfer from San Diego.

• “It was good for us to have her start this game, building minutes and being able to play with the team,” said Chelsea coach Sonia Bompastor after the match. “We’ll need to assess her tomorrow, but it doesn’t look too bad, but we will see.”

Big picture: Chelsea’s draw saw the league-leaders drop points for just the second time this season.

• The Blues now sit five points above Manchester United, with the Red Devils leapfrogging Manchester City and Arsenal over the weekend to claim second with six weeks left to play.

• More shakeups could be coming, as reports of Man U entering talks to loan Brazil forward Geyse to NWSL side Gotham FC also surfaced on Sunday.

Bottom line: The league title is still Chelsea’s for the taking, but as injuries mount and rosters fluctuate, there’s still plenty of time to dethrone the reigning UK champs.

Sports are a numbers game. And whether it's shattering PWHL attendance records or dropping triple-doubles on the college court, there's never been a better time to celebrate the most powerful moments in women's sports.

This major moment is presented by Discover®.

Sky vs. Fever gets an upgrade

The WNBA will be lighting up the NBA’s biggest arena this summer, with the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever announcing Friday that the United Center will host both of the regional rivals’ Chicago matchups.

• With room for more than 20,000 fans, the world-famous home to the Chicago Bulls will hold its first-ever WNBA game on June 7th, before the Fever returns on July 27th for another United Center clash.

• An upgrade from their usual 10,387-capacity Wintrust Arena, the move provides the Sky an opportunity to break both the team’s all-time attendance record — set in 2016 at Rosemont, Illinois’s Allstate Arena — as well as the league’s, set by the Mystics in 2024.

Be there: Tickets go on sale March 11th at 11 AM CT online and via United Center Box Office.

Prime premieres motorsports series

Competitive racing is speeding toward Prime Video, with the streamer announcing the upcoming release of First to the Finish, a new behind-the-scenes docuseries showcasing the 2024 Mazda MX-5 Cup.

• The original production focuses on up and coming drivers Sally Mott and Heather Hadley alongside BSI Racing team owner Shea Holbrook as they train for the annual motorsports championship.

• “The Mazda MX-5 Cup gave us a rich backdrop for storytelling,” said executive producer Sarina Roma, EVP of Originals at Boardwalk Pictures. “We had incredible access to passionate characters competing in a high risk, high reward environment who put their actual lives on the line in pursuit of the checkered flag.”

Tune in: First to the Finish drops March 25th on Prime Video.

Number of the day

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Clemson’s Brie Clark became the first college gymnast to land the Biles I in competition this weekend — earning a shoutout from the move’s legendary namesake.