It doesn’t seem to be probably that USC can stay alive prolonged with out Watkins. She not simply runs their offense, and also she's their offense.

Freshman Avery Howell came from the bench to go ahead and take foul shots with 4 minutes, forty three seconds to Enjoy in the very first. Watkins had a few points, two assists and just one rebound before exiting the eventual victory above the ninth-seeded Bulldogs.

Gottlieb placed on a courageous face and coached a heckuva recreation as she led her staff to future weekend’s Sweet 16 in Spokane, Wash. Nevertheless it’s a Sweet sixteen which includes lost its flavor. And afterward the USC coach’s voice grew thick and her eyes welled when referring to her fallen star.

She crashed into the court near the baseline, and straight away grabbed at her correct knee and was Plainly in loads of discomfort. She remained down some time right before ultimately currently being served up and carried from the court.

The injury occurred midway through the initial quarter of USC's matchup with Mississippi Condition. As Watkins led the split in transition, her proper leg buckled each time a Mississippi Condition defender tried to generate a Enjoy. Watkins fell to the ground and appeared to be in really serious suffering.

Watkins, considered one of the largest stars in Women of all ages's basketball, was streaking for the basket chased by two defenders when her knee bent awkwardly as she planted her ideal leg, the non-Make contact with injury producing her to crumple to the floor. She grabbed her knee and writhed in agony as her teammates surrounded her.

Her teammates huddled in a very circle all around her, and Gottlieb and assistant coach Wendale Farrow arrived through the bench to check on Watkins before Trojans staffers carried the sophomore guard off the ground.

No here under the Lakers mentor has raved about her, JJ Redick lately acknowledging his awe immediately after witnessing her greatness.

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"I'll be lying if I advised you I wasn't rattled observing JuJu about the courtroom and crying," Gottlieb advised reporters following the recreation.

“As soon as we shed Ju, she naturally provides a large use fee, does a great deal with the crew, so I think Every person else knew that we needed to stage up and are available collectively,” guard Talia von Oelhoffen said.

In the next quarter, USC guard Malia Samuels went down hard within the baseline. She held her head in her arms as the crowd booed and Gottlieb once again arrived rushing out to check to the sophomore, who ran the offense in Watkins’ absence.

"My prayers and views are with JuJu," MSU mentor Sam Purcell reported. "Obviously, we are competition and you simply never want to see that, especially what she means for Females's basketball."

USC hasn't yet announced the specifics in the injury, but did share that Watkins had sustained a "year-ending injury" and can "bear surgical procedures and then begin rehabilitation shortly thereafter."

Following Watkins was harm, the gang loudly booed Mississippi State whenever it experienced the ball. The school's cheerleaders ended up booed all through their halftime schedule and the group bought around the crew all over again as it warmed up for the next 50 percent.