Bouncing beneath her trademark bun, transferring so very easily still intensely from the courtroom that she reminds people of Kobe Bryant, Watkins has replaced Caitlin Clark because the encounter of women’s college basketball.

Watkins damage her left hand following the ball jammed her fingers in USC’s to start with-spherical blowout win around UNC Greensboro. She later on arrived up limping on her still left leg and winced.

Gottlieb put on a courageous confront and coached a heckuva video game as she led her group to upcoming weekend’s Sweet 16 in Spokane, Wash. But it really’s a Sweet 16 which has shed its flavor. And afterward the USC mentor’s voice grew thick and her eyes welled when discussing her fallen star.

She crashed to the courtroom close to the baseline, and right away grabbed at her ideal knee and was clearly in a great deal of agony. She remained down a while in advance of ultimately currently being helped up and carried off the court docket.

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Hoping this JuJu Watkins injury just isn't really serious, this is the entire velocity live cam pic.twitter.com/hyAfmUuM4z

Her teammates huddled in a very circle all around her, and Gottlieb and assistant coach Wendale Farrow came from the bench to examine on Watkins ahead of Trojans staffers carried the sophomore guard off the floor.

No fewer than the Lakers coach has raved about her, JJ Redick recently acknowledging his awe soon after witnessing her greatness.

"They are gonna stand guiding their property group. They're gonna go tricky for JuJu," claimed MSU guard Jerkaila Jordan, who scored 17 points. "I could not do almost nothing but respect them."

Watkins’ appropriate knee buckled midway in the to start with quarter in USC’s 96-59 win. She was working the floor in transition and was knocked into a Bulldogs player even though driving to your basket. Referees whistled a foul on fifth-calendar year ahead Chandler Prater as Watkins writhed in agony and clutched her knee on the bottom.

“At the time we dropped Ju, she clearly has a significant usage level, does a good deal for your workforce, so I feel everybody else understood that we had to action up and come alongside one another,” guard Talia von Oelhoffen explained.

In the second quarter, USC guard Malia Samuels went down hard over the baseline. She held her head in her fingers as the group booed and Gottlieb again came speeding out to check within the sophomore, who ran the offense in Watkins’ absence.

"My prayers and feelings are with JuJu," MSU coach Sam Purcell explained. "Naturally, we are rivals and you also never ever desire to see that, Specially what she implies for Females's basketball."

USC hasn't yet announced the specifics of your injury, but more info did share that Watkins had sustained a "season-ending injury" and will "endure surgical treatment then start off rehabilitation Soon thereafter."

Right after Watkins was damage, the crowd loudly booed Mississippi Condition anytime it had the ball. The college's cheerleaders ended up booed during their halftime regimen and the gang got within the staff again because it warmed up for the next 50 %.