Almost singlehandedly, JuJu Watkins destroyed a near-Sisyphean mound of historical precedent in Palo Alto on Friday night as No. 15 USC defeated No. 4 Stanford 67-58.
Entering a sold-out Maples Pavilion, the Trojans had managed just a single victory in 30 tries against the Cardinal with just one triumph ever at Stanford, and USC would have certainly continued this losing legacy if not for the individual brilliance of JuJu Watkins. The freshman phenom and Naismith award contender scored 51 points on Friday for 76 percent of the Trojans’ total output, the highest percentage ever recorded in the HerHoopStats database dating back to 2009, and was the only offensive option for long stretches of USC’s upset victory.
Watkins moves past Cherie Nelson (50) for USC’s highest individual scoring mark, previously set back in 1989.
Watkins’ scorching shooting — she finished the afternoon 14-26 from the field and 17-19 at the line, including six threes —…
