The USC Trojans have one of the best women’s college basketball teams led by the best player in the world: Juju Watkins.
***Editor Update: It is now being reported that Juju Watkins suffered a torn ACL that will require surgery. Her season is sadly over.
Breaking: USC phenom JuJu Watkins has suffered a torn ACL in her right knee, sources tell ESPN. She will undergo surgery. pic.twitter.com/2qMvpXTGwI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2025
After dominating their round one matchup in the tournament, they set their sights on Mississippi State in order to get to the Sweet 16.
After going up early in the first quarter, Watkins fell to the court on a fast break, grabbing at her knee and writhing in pain. The Galen Center gasped and the sports world fell silent.
Watkins had to be carried off the floor into the locker room and did not put any weight on her leg. Things appeared to be bleak.
We do not know the full results yet, but based on the USC Trojans latest update, things do not look great.
JuJu Watkins is being evaluated by USC Keck Medicine staff and will not return to competition in tonight’s NCAA Second Round game.
— USC Women's Basketball (@USCWBB) March 25, 2025
USC Trojans Star Juju Watkins OUT With Injury
Watkins was almost immediately ruled out for the remainder of the game. While this does not indicate her status for the remainder of the tournament, it is certainly not a good sign.
The USC Keck Medicine staff will be monitoring her, and there should be a status update after the game, or at the latest, tomorrow morning. You never want to assume anything, but the video review showed her knee buckling. The hope is that it is a sprain and not a tear with structural damage.
Also Read: Lincoln Riley Gives Update On USC Trojans QB Situation Heading Into Spring Ball
With all of the focus on Watkins, the Women of Troy still had three quarters to play with hopes of moving on to the Sweet 16. As of this writing, the game is in the 4th quarter and the the USC Trojans lead Mississippi State by more than 40.
The Trojans will likely need Watkins if they hope to win the National Championship, but tonight’s performance by the rest of the team is extremely inspiring, at the very least.
We will update this when we have more information on the future status of Juju Watkins and her injury.