LOS ANGELES —USC superstar JuJu Watkins exited the Trojans’ second-round matchup against Mississippi State after she fell hard on her right knee halfway through the first quarter. and writhed in pain, clutching her knee on the ground.
Watkins was running the floor in transition and knocked into a Bulldogs player as she was driving to the basket. Referees whistled a foul on fifth-year forward Chandler Prater, but Watkins writhed in pain and clutched her knee on the ground. Her teammates huddled in a circle around her and coaches Lindsay Gottlieb and Wendale Farrow came from the bench to check on Watkins before Trojans staffers carried the sophomore guard off the floor.
Watkins wasn’t putting weight on either leg, and the staffers took her to the end of the court opposite the USC locker room to get off the floor as soon as possible. Freshman Avery Howell came off the bench to take the foul shots with 4:43 to play in the first, putting the Trojans up 15-2.
Watkins is no stranger to falls during the course of a game. She suffered a knock in the first-round contest against UNC Greensboro and asked to be subbed out on the ensuing defensive possession. She eventually returned to the game and played it off afterwards, saying, “It’s the end of the season, body’s a little…
