University of Southern California’s (USC) star guard, JuJu Watkins, suffered a scary knee injury during the Trojans’ second-round NCAA tournament game against Mississippi State on Monday. The incident happened midway through the first quarter at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, turning the excited atmosphere silent.
Watkins, a sophomore and top contender for national player of the year, was leading a fast break when she collided with Mississippi State’s senior guard, Chandler Prater. After the contact, her right knee bent awkwardly, and she fell to the floor, holding her knee in pain.
Crowd Silenced as Watkins Is Helped Off the Court
Fans watched anxiously as the USC medical team rushed to help Watkins. Her teammates gathered around her while the crowd looked on in shock. After a few tense moments, trainers lifted Watkins off the ground, carefully supporting her right leg, and carried her off the court. The home crowd gave her a mix of supportive applause and worried groans.
Watkins had scored just three points before leaving the game with 4:43 remaining in the first quarter. USC Athletics later announced that she was being evaluated by medical staff and would not return for the rest of the game.
Trojans Dominate Despite Star’s Absence
Even without their leading scorer and playmaker, the Trojans didn’t slow down. They defeated Mississippi State with a strong 96–59 performance, securing a spot in the Sweet 16. The team showed determination and depth in the face of adversity.
Senior forward Kiki Iriafen stepped up in a big way, scoring a game-high 36 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Freshman guard Avery Howell also made a major impact, scoring 18 points and handing out six assists without a single turnover.
Coach Praises Team for Resilience
After the game, USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb did not have an update on Watkins’ condition but praised her players for coming together and playing with heart.
“I’m feeling a lot of emotions obviously, but the biggest one is pride,” said Coach Gottlieb. “You never want anyone to go down, especially someone like JuJu who we all lean on in so many ways. But this team rallied. They rallied for her. They rallied for each other.”
Looking Ahead to the Sweet 16
With the win, USC moves on to face Kansas State in the Sweet 16 on Saturday in Spokane, Washington. However, the focus remains on the health of JuJu Watkins. Her presence is key to the Trojans’ hopes of making a deep run in the tournament.
The Information is Collected from CBS Sports and CNN.
