LOS ANGELES — JuJu Watkins was carried off the floor with a right knee injury in the first quarter of top-seeded Southern California’s game against Mississippi State in the women’s NCAA Tournament on Monday night.
Watkins, one of the biggest stars in women’s basketball, was streaking to the basket between two defenders when her knee bent awkwardly as she planted her right leg, causing her to crumple to the floor with 4:43 remaining. She grabbed her knee and writhed in pain as her teammates surrounded her.
The crowd in Galen Center went silent as coach Lindsay Gottlieb and two other USC staffers attended to the 19-year-old Watkins, a 6-foot-2 sophomore who averages 24.6 points. She was carried off the court by multiple people and the game went to a media timeout with the Trojans leading 13-2.
USC said Watkins was being evaluated by medical staff and would not return to the game. “She’s getting seen by our great medical team. We have a group, and a fan base and a team that’s going to have her back no matter what,” Gottlieb told ESPN after halftime. “JuJu is the toughest kid I know and she’s gonna be good one way or another.”
Watkins has enjoyed good health in her brief college career. She started all 34 of USC’s games as a freshman, when she was second in scoring nationally with 27.1 points a game. Her 920 points set a national record for freshman scoring.
USC reached the Elite Eight last year, losing to Paige Bueckers and UConn. The teams could meet again in a regional final in Spokane, Washington, this year.
After Watkins was hurt, the crowd loudly booed Mississippi State every time it had the ball. The school’s cheerleaders were booed during their halftime routine and the crowd got on the team again as it warmed up for the second half.
Watkins was 0 of 2 shooting, with three free throws, one rebound and two assists in five minutes. The Trojans led 28-8 after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, USC guard Malia Samuels went down hard on the baseline. She held her head in her hands as the crowd booed and Gottlieb again came rushing out to check on the sophomore, who ran the offense in Watkins’ absence. She wasn’t hurt.
The Trojans appeared undaunted by the injury to their star. They rushed the floor in celebration after senior Rayah Marshall banked in a 3-pointer to beat the halftime buzzer and extend the lead to 50-27.
Watkins hurt her left hand after the ball jammed her fingers in USC’s first-round blowout win over UNC Greensboro. She later came up limping on her left leg and winced.
“It’s the end of the season, body is a little banged up,” she said afterward. “On to the next. Nobody cares. I’m all good.”
