USC's JuJu Watkins suffers devastating knee injury in March Madness game

USC women’s hoops prima JuJu Watkins’ play came to a pugnacious extremity connected Monday nighttime erstwhile the defender suffered a genu wounded successful the archetypal 4th of their March Madness crippled against Mississippi State.

Watkins dribbled to her close connected a accelerated interruption erstwhile she went down with the injury. She was seen writhing successful symptom grabbing her close knee. She was helped disconnected of the floor.

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Southern California defender JuJu Watkins, #12, reacts connected the level aft an wounded during the archetypal fractional against Mississippi State successful the 2nd circular of the NCAA assemblage hoops tourney connected Monday, March 24, 2025 successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

USC said aboriginal that Watkins’ play was over.

"JuJu Watkins sustained a season-ending wounded successful the NCAA Second Round connected Monday night. She volition acquisition country and past statesman rehabilitation soon thereafter," the schoolhouse said.

ESPN reported that Watkins suffered a torn ACL.

"I'd beryllium lying if I told you that I wasn't rattled seeing JuJu connected the level crying," USC caput manager Lindsay Gottlieb said, via ESPN. "This is simply a quality game, and truthful I evidently tried my champion to beryllium what I request to beryllium for the team, but internally it's a lot."

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Southern California defender JuJu Watkins, #12, winces successful symptom connected the level aft an wounded during the archetypal fractional against Mississippi State successful the 2nd circular of the NCAA assemblage hoops tourney connected Monday, March 24, 2025 successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

USC won the crippled 96-59. Watkins had 3 points earlier she near the crippled with the injury.

The crippled took spot astatine the Galen Center successful Los Angeles. Fans booed Mississippi State each clip the squad had the ball.

"They’re gonna basal down their location team. They’re gonna spell hard for JuJu," Mississippi State defender Jerkaila Jordan, who scored 17 points, said aft the game. "I couldn’t bash thing but respect them."

Watkins has been 1 of the astir prolific scorers successful assemblage hoops since she entered the collegiate ranks past season. She was the nation’s second-leading scorer this season, averaging 24.6 points, 7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Southern California defender JuJu Watkins, #12, controls the shot against Mississippi State defender Jerkaila Jordan, #2, during the archetypal fractional successful the 2nd circular of the NCAA assemblage hoops tourney connected Monday, March 24, 2025 successful Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

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USC is backmost successful the Sweet 16 for the 2nd consecutive year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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