The No. 1 seed USC Trojans secured a resounding 96-59 victory over No. 9 seed Mississippi State on last Sunday night, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second straight year. However, the win was overshadowed by a devastating injury to star sophomore JuJu Watkins, who suffered a torn ACL just five minutes into the game-ending her season and dealing a major blow to USC’s championship aspirations.
With Watkins out, senior forward Kiki Iriafen took charge, delivering a career high 36 points on 16-of-22 shooting while adding nine rebounds. Iriafen’s aggressive play in the around the basket set the tone early as USC (30-3) raced out to a commanding 28-8 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. “I knew I had to step up,” Iriafen said. “JuJu means everything to this team. We’re not going to let this define us-we’re playing for her now.” Rayah Marshall also played a crucial role for the Trojans, finishing with 12 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
The energy inside the Galen Center on the USC campus took a sharp turn early in the first quarter when Watkins went down clutching her right knee after a routine drive. The projected top WNBA draft pick of 2026 had to be helped off the floor, bringing an eerie silence over the home crowd.
Head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was visibly emotional postgame.
USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was visibly emotional during the post game press conference. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t rattled,” she said. “JuJu is the heart of this team-not just for her scoring, but her leadership and spirit. This is a tough loss, but we have to rally.”
Watkins, who was averaging 27.1 points per game, had been one of the most dominant players in the nation. Without her, USC will need Iriafen, Marshall, sophomore guard Malia Samuels and freshman guard Kennedy Smith to step up offensively.
Mississippi State (22-12) struggled from the beginning of the game, falling behind 17-2 in the opening minutes and failing to recover. Jerkaila Jordan, the Bulldogs’ leading scorer, managed just 17 points as USC’s suffocating defense shut down any comeback attempt. “We got punched in the mouth early, and we couldn’t recover,” said Mississippi State head coach Sam Purcell. “USC played with a purpose, and Iriafen was unstoppable tonight.”
Even with the loss of Watkins, USC is headed to the Sweet 16, where they will face No. 5 seed Kansas State. With their star player out, the Trojans will have to lean on their depth and veteran leadership to keep their Final Four hopes alive. “This team has heart,” Gottlieb said. “We’re going to fight. JuJu’s injury is a big loss, but we’re still in this, and we’re not done yet.”
USC will look to rally behind Iriafen, Marshall and a group of other players as they continue their March Madness journey in pursuit of a national championship.