What Happened to JuJu Watkins? USC Star Suffers Scary Knee Injury in March Madness Showdown

USC’s dominant second-round win in the NCAA Women’s Tournament came at a heavy cost after star guard JuJu Watkins exited early with a concerning knee injury. The Trojans cruised to a 96-59 victory over Mississippi State, but the attention quickly shifted from the scoreboard to Watkins’ health, leaving fans anxiously awaiting updates on one of college basketball’s brightest stars.

Here’s everything we know so far about what happened to JuJu Watkins during Monday’s March Madness matchup.

How did JuJu Watkins get injured?

The injury occurred just minutes into the opening quarter. With 4:55 left in the first, Watkins was on a fast break when she collided with Mississippi State’s Chandler Prater. The two became entangled, and Watkins immediately dropped to the hardwood, clutching her right knee in visible pain.

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A foul was called on Prater, but officials later ruled it a common foul after a review. Still, the energy inside the Galen Center shifted dramatically as the packed arena fell into a stunned silence.

USC’s training staff quickly rushed to the court, and after a brief evaluation, Watkins was carried off without putting any weight on her leg. At that point, USC was up 13-2.

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Where did she go after the injury?

According to ESPN’s Holly Rowe, Watkins was taken to a nearby medical facility for further testing.

“There is not an MRI machine here at the Galen Center,” Rowe said on the broadcast. “We saw JuJu Watkins being wheeled out of the building and believe she was transported to a tech medical center for MRI imaging.”

USC athletic director Jennifer Cohen reportedly left the stands to check on the freshman phenom before also exiting the arena.

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Did Watkins return to the game?

No. USC later confirmed that JuJu Watkins would not return to Monday’s contest. While head coach Lindsay Gottlieb did not provide a specific update postgame, she acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the situation:

“I don’t have an update on JuJu,” Gottlieb said during the press conference. “We’re just hoping for the best.”

How did USC respond without her?

Despite losing their top scorer, the Trojans rallied behind forward Kiki Iriafen, who put up a team-high 36 points. After the game, Iriafen acknowledged how much Watkins means to the team but emphasized their drive to push forward:

“She’s a key piece for us. But we don’t want to let her down. We don’t want to let all of our fans down,” Iriafen said. “Just keeping our foot on the gas, trusting everything our coaches have for us and knowing we’re more than capable to win this game.”

USC’s fans, however, remained visibly upset throughout the night, loudly booing Mississippi State after the injury—even though the play was deemed non-flagrant.

What’s next for JuJu Watkins and USC?

Watkins’ availability moving forward is still unknown as fans await the results of her MRI. Her presence will be crucial if the Trojans hope to continue their tournament run. The freshman sensation has been nothing short of electric all season, leading USC in scoring and quickly becoming one of the faces of women’s college basketball.

Further updates on her condition are expected in the coming days.