USC women’s basketball seemed destined to reach their first Final Four since 1986. Sophomore JuJu Watkins was a sensation, winning national Player of the Year and looking poised to take the Caitlin Clark mantle as the next transcendent woman hooper. That passing of the torch and dreams of the Trojans hanging another banner came to a serious halt Monday night, as early in the first quarter against Mississippi State, Watkins tore her ACL, according to various outlets.
It was a non-contact injury from pushing the pace in transition caused by trying to stop on a dime in the face of pressure. A USC spokesperson said Watkins would undergo season-ending surgery and then start her rehabilitation process.
Watkins was in the midst of the best run of her career, scoring 20+ points in seven straight contests. Her efficiency saw a slight uptick in her second year, which, paired with her volume scoring, led the Trojans to a stunning 30-3 record and one seed in the big dance.
The injury itself is bad enough, but the timing is catastrophic. ACLs tend to take 8-12 months to recover, but a tear now suggests Watkins is in danger of missing her next campaign.
With superstars like Paige Bueckers, Olivia Miles, and Shyanne Sellers off to the WNBA, Watkins was on the cusp…
