LOS ANGELES — JuJu Watkins was carried off the ground with a season-ending knee damage within the first quarter of top-seeded Southern California’s sport towards Mississippi State within the NCAA Event on Monday night time.
Watkins, one of many largest stars in ladies’s basketball, was streaking to the basket chased by two defenders when her knee bent awkwardly as she planted her proper leg, the non-contact damage inflicting her to crumple to the ground. She grabbed her knee and writhed in ache as her teammates surrounded her.
ESPN’s Shams Charania stories Watkins suffered a torn ACL in her proper knee.
“I might be mendacity if I advised you I wasn’t rattled seeing JuJu mendacity on the ground and crying,” coach Lindsay Gottlieb mentioned.
Afterward, a workforce spokesperson mentioned Watkins will bear surgical procedure after which start rehabilitation.
The gang in Galen Middle went silent as Gottlieb and two different USC staffers attended to the 19-year-old Watkins, a 6-foot-2 sophomore who averages 24.6 factors. She was carried off by a number of folks with the Trojans main 13-2.
The Trojans received 96-59 to achieve the Candy 16.
“My prayers and ideas are with JuJu,” MSU coach Sam Purcell mentioned. “Clearly, we’re opponents and also you by no means need to see that, particularly what she means for ladies’s basketball.”
Watkins has loved good well being in her temporary school profession. She began all 34 of USC’s video games as a freshman, when she was second in scoring nationally with 27.1 factors a sport. Her 920 factors set a nationwide file for freshman scoring.
USC reached the Elite Eight final yr, shedding to Paige Bueckers and UConn. The groups may meet once more in a regional remaining in Spokane, Washington, this yr.
After Watkins was damage, the group loudly booed Mississippi State each time it had the ball. The college’s cheerleaders had been booed throughout their halftime routine and the group acquired on the workforce once more because it warmed up for the second half.
“They’re gonna stand behind their dwelling workforce. They’re gonna go arduous for JuJu,” mentioned MSU guard Jerkaila Jordan, who scored 17 factors. “I could not do nothing however respect them.”
Watkins had three free throws, one rebound and two assists in 5 minutes.
Within the second quarter, USC guard Malia Samuels went down arduous on the baseline. She held her head in her palms as the group booed and Gottlieb once more got here speeding out to test on the sophomore, who ran the offense in Watkins’ absence.
“I used to be relieved to listen to her say, ‘I am good,'” Gottlieb mentioned.
The Trojans appeared undaunted by the damage to their star. They rushed the ground in celebration after senior Rayah Marshall banked in a 3-pointer to beat the halftime buzzer and prolong the result in 50-27.
“They gave us lots of power, particularly when issues weren’t going our method at the start,” mentioned Kiki Iriafen, who scored a season-high 36 factors.
Watkins damage her left hand after the ball jammed her fingers in USC’s first-round blowout win over UNC Greensboro. She later got here up limping on her left leg and winced.
“It is the tip of the season, physique is a little bit banged up,” she mentioned afterward. “On to the following. No person cares. I am all good.”
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