JuJu Watkins and the rest of the USC women’s basketball team were joined by special guests in the locker room on Sunday night at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. Cherie Nelson, a Trojan alum who once held the program’s scoring record with a 50-point game, was among those present, accompanied by her 98-year-old mother whose home in nearby Altadena was destroyed in the recent wildfires. Despite the challenging circumstances, they came to meet JuJu and the team, showcasing their support for the USC women’s basketball program.
Trojans coach Lindsay Gottlieb shared, “Dealing with that, it was probably up in the air if they were going to come and her mom said, ‘No, I want to go see the USC women’s team play.’” The high-energy crowd of 5,881 attendees, including actor Vivica A. Fox and children, brought a sense of community spirit to one of the first sporting events in Los Angeles following the wildfires that began earlier in the week.
Amidst the somber atmosphere in LA, JuJu Watkins expressed, “Our goal was to put on a show and entertain people for a couple of hours.” Watkins led the team with 35 points, supported by Kiki Iriafen who contributed 28 points, in USC’s 95-73 victory over Penn State. The players, several of whom are from the affected areas in Los Angeles, acknowledged the heaviness of the situation and aimed to uplift spirits through their performance on the court.
Despite the challenges posed by the fires, both USC and Penn State made the decision to proceed with the game after consulting with conference officials and health experts. Penn State coach Carolyn Kieger emphasized the importance of safety and trust in the systems in place, while USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb expressed gratitude for the confidence shown by their opponents in the decision to play.
As the teams navigate the impact of the wildfires on their schedules and travel plans, they remain focused on competing and providing a moment of respite for their community through the power of sports.
Fires broke out. “I couldn’t believe how many texts I got after the Maryland game where people who were in it were saying, ‘This was the best two hours I’ve had in a while just watching,'” Gottlieb said. Her approach is to keep the Trojans mindful that bigger things are going on around them while giving them a chance to focus on the game they love. “I guess I would say this will pass,” Watkins said. “The biggest thing for us and for the community is just to have faith and hope that things will get better.”
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