Southern California’s hopes of securing their first national championship in 41 years took a major hit when star guard JuJu Watkins was sidelined by a season-ending knee injury.
The Trojans secured their 30th win, marking their first time doing so since 1986, with a dominant 96-59 victory over ninth-seeded Mississippi State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday night. However, Watkins was injured in the first quarter, suffering a right knee injury while driving down the court on a fast break. As she planted her foot, her knee buckled awkwardly, causing her to collapse to the floor in pain. She was unable to put any weight on her leg and had to be carried off the court.
USC confirmed that Watkins will undergo surgery and begin rehabilitation, though they did not provide specific details about her injury. The sight of Watkins writhing in pain on the floor, with her teammates and coach Lindsay Gottlieb rushing to her side, left the crowd of 7,808 at Galen Center in shock.
“JuJu is a once-in-a-generation talent,” said Mississippi State guard Jerkaila Jordan. “She’s impacted the game in so many ways at such a young age. It was really hard to see her get hurt. I kept her in my prayers.”
Losing JuJu Watkins just five minutes into the game on a non-contact play sparked anger among the home fans, who began booing the Bulldogs for the rest of the game. At halftime, they even jeered the Mississippi State cheerleaders’ routine.
“You had to be here to feel it,” said coach Lindsay Gottlieb. “I’m not sure if people could see it through the TV, but it was very palpable.”
Despite the setback, the top-seeded Trojans remained focused. Energized by the enthusiastic crowd, they nailed buzzer-beaters at the end of the first, second, and third quarters, building a commanding 46-point lead in the fourth.
“I wouldn’t call this our defining moment,” said Kiki Iriafen, who scored a season-high 36 points. “This is just what we expect from ourselves. We expect to win in this tournament, no matter what—whether things are going our way or not, with or without people. That’s the standard here.”
Next up for the Trojans is the Sweet 16 in Spokane, Washington, where they will face fifth-seeded Kansas State on Friday.
USC hasn’t had to play without one of the biggest stars in college basketball until now. JuJu Watkins, who started all 34 games as a freshman, led the Trojans to the Elite Eight last season and drew strong support from her hometown of Watts, helping boost attendance.
“I hope she can eventually realize how significant she is here, beyond just her talent,” said coach Lindsay Gottlieb. “What’s really special is how she’s brought everyone together, and how her team has her back, showing what true teamwork is.”
This year was meant to be USC’s chance to win it all, but now things look much different without Watkins.
Kiki Iriafen, a transfer from Stanford, proved what she can do without Watkins, shooting 16-of-22 and grabbing nine rebounds.
“Kiki is one of the best players in the country. She was unstoppable,” said Mississippi State coach Sam Purcell. “We put our center on her, our guard on her, we doubled her, switched defenses, and even trapped her. We couldn’t stop her.”
USC had five players score in double figures against Mississippi State, including three freshmen. Kaleigh Heckel, along with sophomore Malia Samuels, took on the responsibility of running the offense in the absence of JuJu Watkins. Together, they tallied nine assists, five steals, and only two turnovers. Heckel also contributed 13 points and six assists.
Freshman Avery Howell tied her career-high with 18 points, hitting four 3-pointers and adding six assists. Another freshman, Kennedy Smith, chipped in with 10 points and five steals.
“We’ve been given big roles this year,” Howell said. “We’re ready for any situation because of the time we get in games and how hard we work in practice.”
The Trojans won their first two tournament games by a combined 83 points.
“We’re making sure to stay focused on this team and on JuJu, keeping us united. As you saw, we’re capable of doing something great,” said coach Lindsay Gottlieb. “That’s the message we’ll keep emphasizing to the team.”
