The Sweet 16 is set for the women's field in the NCAA basketball tournament, but not without a pall that was cast after an injury to one of college basketball's biggest stars.
Southern California sophomore guard JuJu Watkins, a first-team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year, crashed to the floor in the Monday night game's first quarter against Mississippi State and grabbed her knee while down. Watkins had to be carried off the floor at the USC Galen Center with the game halted at the 4:43 mark.
"I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't rattled, seeing JuJu on the floor and crying," said USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb.The university released a statement saying Watkins suffered a season-ending injury and will undergo surgery. When play resumed and the No. 1 seeded Trojans leading, 13-2, they opened up their lead and easily handled MSU, 96-59.
Watkins, the second-leading scorer in NCAA Division I with a 26.6 scoring average, was looking for her first field goal at the time of the injury. She had three points, all from the free throw line. Senior forward Kiki Iriafen paced USC in scoring Monday night with 36 points.
