JuJu Watkins injury update: USC star sustains season-ending injury
JuJu Watkins will miss the rest of the NCAA Tournament following an injury suffered in the USC Trojans’ Second-Round win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
USC announced the diagnosis in a post to the women’s basketball account on X.
“JuJu Watkins sustained a season-ending injury in the NCAA Second Round on Monday night. She will undergo surgery and then begin rehabilitation shortly thereafter.”
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the injury was a torn ACL in her right knee.
The injury occurred at the 4:43 mark of the first quarter as Watkins raced downcourt against two Bulldog defenders following a turnover. There was hard contact from guard Chandler Prater as Watkins was landing on her right leg. Her knee appeared to give way and she went hard to the ground.
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Watkins immediately grabbed her knee as teammates and then trainers came to her on the floor. She was eventually carried off the court to the locker room and did not return.
She finished the game with three points but her teammates responded in a dominant 96-59 win. Veteran forward Kiki Iriafen scored a season-high 36 points and four other Trojans scored in double-figures. After limiting UNC Greensboro to just 25 total points in a First Round win, the Trojans held Mississippi State to just 31.3% shooting from the floor and forced 20 Bulldog turnovers. Prater had a game-high six turnovers as USC fans voiced their displeasure at her foul on Watkins whenever she touched the ball.
