- Juju Watkins is one of the best players in college basketball since stepping foot onto the USC campus as a freshman last year.
- Watkins tore her ACL early in the Trojans’ second-round win over Mississippi State.
- The Trojans still won, but their championship hopes could be gone with Watkins out.
The USC Trojans are one of the top teams in the women’s NCAA Tournament, and the main reason for that is Juju Watkins. The do-everything sophomore forward is one of the top players in college basketball, and arguably, a future WNBA star.
However, the Trojans’ season now hangs in the balance as Watkins tore her ACL on Monday in USC’s second-round win over Mississippi State.
Watkins was hurt in the first quarter of the top seed Trojans’ 96-59 rout of the #9 Bulldogs.
Watkins’ knee buckled on a fast break, and she went down right away, holding the knee. It didn’t look good from the second it happened, and it was concerning that Watkins had to be carried off the floor. But it didn’t put off the Trojans, who outscored the Bulldogs 28-8 in the first quarter, and rolled from there.
Forward Kiki Iriafen picked up the slack from Watkins, dropping 36 points on 16-of-22 shooting, along with nine boards. Avery Howell came off the bench with 18 for the Trojans, who held Mississippi State to 31.3% shooting from the floor and forced 20 turnovers.
However, the story of the game was Watkins, who is the main force behind USC’s 2025 March Madness odds. Watkins was the Big Ten Player of the Year as she led USC to the Big Ten regular-season title.
She made her second unanimous All-America team. Watkins is also the favorite to win the Women’s Wooden Player of the Year award. The Los Angeles native was fifth in the country with 23.9 points, and she added 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks for the Trojans.
But Watkins’ season is over now, and she’ll have surgery so she can start her rehab as soon as possible. Fingers crossed it will go well for her, but even in the best-case scenario, she’ll miss some of next season.
What Does This Mean for Watkins and the Trojans?
It’s tough on the Trojans, who were one of the four #1 seeds and a team with a realistic shot at the title, as long as Watkins was healthy. However, USC’s March Madness odds have already dropped, and bookies are still trying to figure out the Trojan women’s Sweet 16 odds against #5 Kansas State on Saturday night.
On the bright side, Iriafen also had a great regular season and definitely stepped up when Watkins went down.
Yet, she’s not Watkins, and if they can get past the Wildcats, USC could be in for a rematch with UConn. The Trojans beat the Huskies 72-70 on the road in December, and UConn will want their revenge.
As for Watkins, she will need to be patient before returning to the court. ACL injuries usually take six to nine months, depending on the person.
At that rate, Watkins will be back by the time USC starts conference play next season. But she could also take a medical redshirt year and miss all of next season. Watkins isn’t eligible for the WNBA Draft until she is 22 anyway, so there is plenty of time. She’ll definitely be disappointed to miss out on the rest of the season, but Watkins has her entire career in front of her at 19.
We expect her to be back stronger than ever after her rehab and wish her all the best in her recovery.
