LOS ANGELES — JuJu Watkins, a standout star in women’s basketball, experienced a devastating season-ending knee injury during the first quarter of top-seeded Southern California’s clash with Mississippi State in the NCAA Tournament on Monday night. As she drove to the basket, pursued by two defenders, Watkins’ knee twisted awkwardly when she planted on her right leg, resulting in a non-contact injury that caused her to collapse in pain on the court. Her teammates quickly gathered around her as she clutched her knee in visible distress.
“I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t rattled seeing JuJu lying on the floor and crying,” expressed coach Lindsay Gottlieb. Shortly after, a team representative announced that Watkins is scheduled to undergo surgery and will then commence her rehabilitation process.
The usually vibrant crowd in Galen Center was left in stunned silence as Gottlieb, along with two other USC staff members, tended to Watkins, a 19-year-old sophomore standing 6-foot-2, who boasts an average of 24.6 points. At the time, the Trojans were leading 13-2, and Watkins was helped off the court by several individuals.
Despite the setback, the Trojans triumphed with a 96-59 victory, advancing to the Sweet 16. MSU coach Sam Purcell commented, “My prayers and thoughts are with JuJu. Obviously, we’re competitors and you never want to see that, especially what she means for women’s basketball.”
Watkins has had a relatively healthy collegiate career up until now. She played an integral role in all 34 games for USC during her freshman year, ranking second in national scoring with an average of 27.1 points per game. Her impressive tally of 920 points set a freshman scoring record.
USC made it to the Elite Eight last year but fell short against Paige Bueckers and UConn. This year, there’s a possibility of them facing each other again in a regional final in Spokane, Washington.
Following Watkins’ injury, the crowd vocally expressed their disapproval towards Mississippi State whenever they had possession of the ball. Even the school’s cheerleaders faced boos during their halftime performance, and the animosity resurfaced as MSU prepared for the second half.
“They’re gonna stand behind their home team. They’re gonna go hard for JuJu,” remarked MSU guard Jerkaila Jordan, who contributed 17 points to her team’s efforts. “I couldn’t do nothing but respect them.”
In her brief five-minute appearance before the injury, Watkins managed three free throws, one rebound, and two assists. Later, in the second quarter, another USC player, Malia Samuels, took a hard fall on the baseline, further heightening concerns. Coach Gottlieb again rushed to check on the sophomore player, who was filling in for Watkins on offense.
“I was relieved to hear her say, ‘I’m good,’” Gottlieb shared.
The Trojans seemed undeterred by the loss of their star player. They celebrated enthusiastically after senior Rayah Marshall banked a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer, extending their lead to 50-27.
“They gave us a lot of energy, especially when things weren’t going our way at the beginning,” commented Kiki Iriafen, who delivered a stellar performance with a season-high 36 points.
Earlier in the tournament, Watkins had sustained an injury when the ball jammed her fingers, and she also experienced a limp during USC’s first-round victory over UNC Greensboro. Nonetheless, showing her resilience, she stated, “It’s the end of the season, body is a little banged up. On to the next. Nobody cares. I’m all good.”