The UNLV Lady Rebels and coach Lindy La Rocque are set to tip off the 2026-27 season against JuJu Watkins and the No. 3 USC Trojans as part of the Hall of Fame Series at T-Mobile Arena on Monday at 1 p.m.

The Lady Rebels, coming off a 21-11 season, are seeking the program’s sixth consecutive 20-win season, all under La Rocque. The program has also won three Mountain West championships during her tenure.

The star-studded Trojans finished ninth in the Big Ten standings last season with an 18-14 record, including a 9-9 mark in conference play.

A major reason for the drop from their first-place finish and 31-4 record in 2024-25 was the absence of Watkins, who missed all of last season after tearing her ACL during the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament against Mississippi State.

Before the injury during her sophomore season, Watkins averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 42.6 percent from the field in 33 appearances.

Now, more than a year and a half later, the…