LOS ANGELES – It was the first Friday night of 2024, and I had only one priority: seeing JuJu Watkins live.
The USC Trojans were facing off against the Oregon State Beavers in the Trojans’ first home game of the Pac-12 schedule. The conference is grueling this season; USC already had a conference loss at the hands of their local rival, UCLA. So while there are no must-win games at the beginning of January, a defeat wouldn’t have been ideal.
I hopped in my car, braved I-5 and headed towards the Galen Center.
If you’ve never had the privilege of attending a game at USC, put it on your bucket list. At night, it perfectly balances the big-city environment with the intimacy of an active college town. Mix in perfect weather and the street lights igniting the city and you are primed to watch basketball.
The Trojans were ranked at No. 9 entering the game while the Beavers were unranked, albeit undefeated with a 12-0 record. Watkins established herself immediately, taking charge by scoring USC’s first nine points. She did it every which way in the opening quarter. First, a long-range jumper from the left side of the court, then a 3-pointer, followed by a pair of jumpers.
When it comes to USC, it’s not about a system: Watkins is the system. She mainly starts possessions…
