JuJu Watkins suffers season-ending injury as USC | College News
The crowd sat in hushed disbelief, struggling to course of a scene that appeared ripped straight out of their worst nightmares: USC’s celebrity laying crumpled on the courtroom, clutching her proper knee, her cries rising to the rafters the place she hoped a banner would quickly dangle.
JuJu Watkins, for the higher half of two seasons, had felt nothing short of invincible, surpassing each smart expectation with gorgeous grace for a sophomore, by no means wavering even as she bore the weight of an whole program on her back.
But now, on the begin of the Trojans’ match run, Watkins ran into Mississippi State’s Chandler Prater and her knee buckled beneath her. Right away, she fell to the courtroom.
For a number of minutes, Watkins lay on the hardwood, surrounded first by teammates, then by USC trainers, all of whom might solely watch as she writhed round in ache, clutching her knee, her eyes closed tight.
Unable to stand on her own, Watkins was scooped by trainers who carried her to the locker room. After Watkins left Galen Center to endure an MRI scan, USC introduced she sustained a season-ending injury that may require surgical procedure.
Even as USC rallied in her absence, rolling to a 96-59 win over Mississippi State that secured a second straight Sweet 16 bid, Watkins’ injury forged a pall over the Galen Center.
USC star JuJu Watkins writhes in ache as he teammates stand above her during the primary quarter Monday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t rattled seeing JuJu lying on the floor, crying,” Gottlieb stated.
When the sport continued after Watkins’ injury, boos rained down every time Mississippi State touched the ball. An already bodily sport received even more intense, as USC gamers made their discontent clear. When backup guard Malia Samuels was fouled laborious below the basket, slamming her head on the courtroom, the group erupted with dissatisfaction.
With Watkins out, the Trojans finally pushed the fuel pedal. Kiki Iriafen stepped into a starring position, pouring in a career-high 36 factors on gorgeous 16-for-22 taking pictures.
But as USC waited for an replace on Watkins, there was no ignoring the cruel actuality that dropping its star is a devastating blow to any hopes of a attainable Final Four run.
That street continues nonetheless Saturday, when USC will face No. 5 seed Kansas State in Spokane, Wash.
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