LOS ANGELES — Charlisse Leger-Walker has had two seasons with the UCLA women’s basketball team that were vastly different from each other.

She spent last season recovering from an ACL injury, but it didn’t keep her from being involved with the team. She carefully watched from afar, observing what coaches were demanding of the team and studying the team dynamic.

The payoff of that long, thoughtful process was embodied on Sunday evening when she scored a game-high 20 points to help the No. 2 Bruins beat USC 73-50 at Galen Center.

“Having an extra year under my belt of getting to know these girls and getting to know the staff and really trying to just ingrain myself into the program — that’s helped a lot,” the Washington State transfer told reporters. “And I’m just so happy to be out there playing again, and now talking on the court too.”

Not only did UCLA go 2-0 in crosstown rivalry games this season, but they also achieved the first perfect Big Ten regular season since Maryland did so in the 2014-15 season.

Leger-Walker scored 20 points on 62% shooting from the field and added six rebounds, four assists and two steals. She was one of four players to reach double-figures in points, along with Gabriela Jaquez, Kiki Rice and Gianna Kneepkens, which underscored head coach Cori Close’s emphasis on balance.

“We want to be lifestyle givers,” Close said. “And I think every day you wake up, you can choose to either be a taker or a giver.”

Jazzy Davidson was USC’s leading scorer with 12 points, and Kennedy Smith added 11 points. Laura Williams was the leading rebounder with seven boards.

UCLA cruised to a 10-point lead in the first quarter, playing with intent at its own pace to slow down the excessive energy that the Trojans (17-11, 9-8) were attacking the game with. By doing so, the Bruins were able to pass with fluidity on the outside and use their height advantage to repeatedly get rebounds and create scoring opportunities on the inside.

Lauren Betts had 15 rebounds — just one shy of tying her season-high — as the Bruins beat the Trojans on the boards 47-22. They dominated especially on the offensive glass with 22 offensive boards compared ot USC’s five.

“It’s a possession game,” Close said. “We are really talented. If we get more possessions than our opponents, we’re probably going to win most of the time, and that rebounding was a major difference.”

USC did its best to make Betts, a 6-foot-7 center, uncomfortable by sending in double teams to keep her from getting easy layups. Although Betts still found her shots, it was Leger-Walker who had the biggest haul of the opening half.

The graduate guard hit 4 of 7 shots from the field and 2 of 4 shots from beyond the arc to contribute a team-high 10 points in that timeframe.

She and Kneepkens hit back-to-back 3-pointers midway through the second quarter for a 25-17 lead. USC’s Kennedy Smith made two free throws afterward, but Kneepkens made a pass to Jaquez for another 3-pointer to keep the Bruins comfortably ahead.

The Trojans had another boost of energy at the start of the second half, and Kara Dunn made two 3-pointers as part of a 9-0 scoring run that closed the gap to 40-31 and forced UCLA to call a timeout.

“Our effort and our competition level were what we expect,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “And we’re proud of it. At the beginning of the second half, that turned into some points. We have a lot of effort, and it sometimes doesn’t turn into points. It feels better when it turns into points.”

But the Bruins recollected themselves, and the flow state returned on the other side of the timeout. Jaquez and Leger-Walker both sank three’s to get their team offensively moving again, and UCLA closed out the frame by scoring seven unanswered points.

The 10 final minutes of the game that stood between the Bruins and a historic season were a breeze. They controlled the game, seemingly sending in players at will to score in the midrange as well as the paint.

UCLA added 16 points to finish out the game and position itself for a strong postseason.

Both teams will move on to the Big Ten Tournament, which is slated for March 4-8 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The tournament bracket was released on Sunday night, and USC will play Washington on Thursday. UCLA, which is the No. 1 seed in the tournament, automatically advances to the quarterfinals and will play the winner of USC-Washington on Thursday.

“Coach Cori has been emphasizing some growth areas, such as taking care of the ball,” Jaquez said, “continuing to be dominant on the defensive rebounds and then also setting and using screens and playing together. I think that’s where our superpower lies, is in our teamwork.”

Beyond that, Selection Sunday is set for Sunday, March 15. ESPN’s bracketology currently has UCLA projected as a No. 1 seed and USC as a No. 8 seed. If the prediction comes true, UCLA will be dealt a top seed for the second season in a row after being named the No. 1 overall seed last season.