Let's first look at the history between these two schools before we go more in-depth about the renewed interest in this rivalry on the basketball court.
The Trojans and Bruins rivalry is among the most captivating and renowned in college athletics. The narrative centers on two iconic establishments in Los Angeles, each with rich histories and often clashing identities, transcending the realm of athletics, especially among college fans on the West Coast. Let's dive into the details of this rivalry as a whole before focusing on the hardwood rivalry.
In Los Angeles, the proximity of the two schools, just 12 miles apart, fuels a fierce rivalry that ignites competition across the city. From a distance, it's clear that everyone can spot their respective schools, and the rivalry is among the most unique college sports rivalries.
The basketball teams may lack trophies or awards, but the annual football game-winner proudly claims the victory bell. This iconic piece was initially claimed by USC students in 1941. The victory bell stands tall on campus, a symbol of triumph as we eagerly await the next showdown between these two rival colleges. However, just because there is no trophy given after every UCLA and USC basketball game, it is feasible that in any given season, the two schools can play each other twice in the regular season, once in the Big Ten Tournament, and even in the NCAA Tournament.
These two institutions engage in a fierce academic rivalry reminiscent of the competition between Cal and Stanford. The rivalry between these two universities is fueled, in part, by their esteemed academic reputations that resonate across the nation.
UCLA is ranked No. 15 in the 2025 Best National University Rankings, according to U.S. News & World Report. USC is ranked No. 27 according to those same rankings.
UCLA and USC compete in all sports and they play for the Crosstown Cup. While it may be a newcomer in the storied rivalry between UCLA and USC, the Crosstown Cup has quickly established itself as a coveted trophy in the realm of Los Angeles sports pride. Let's quickly delve into its history.
Starting in 2001, Lexus sponsored the "Lexus Gauntlet," which debuted for the Crosstown Cup that season. The goal was to find the overall winner of all head-to-head sporting competitions between the two schools. For the first six years, the Bruins and Trojans won the cup three times in the first six years.
After the 2008-09 season, Lexus stopped sponsoring the competition between the two schools, and the competition became known as the "Crosstown Gauntlet" due to the two teams' proximity and racing ferocity. In four of the five years between 2009 and 2014, USC won the Crosstown Gauntlet.
UCLA celebrated consecutive victories in 2017 and 2018, followed by USC's successes in 2019 and 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic led to the halt of the 2020 competition, but UCLA was leading USC by an 85-45 margin.
From 2015 to the present, it has been pretty even in this competition. In 2015, UCLA took home the trophy, and it was only for USC to snatch it back in 2016. In 2015, BMW took the reins as the owner of the competition, rebranding it as the "SoCal BMW Crosstown Cup." But that sponsorship only lasted for two seasons. However, changes unfolded after that time, and since the 2016–17 season, there has been no official sponsor of the Crosstown Cup.
The Trojans achieved victories in 2021 and 2023, but the Bruins emerged victorious in 2022 and 2024.
Now. let's take a look at the USC and UCLA basketball rivalry.