In her first appearance at the women’s Big Ten tournament, JuJu Watkins showcased her talent with a remarkable performance for No. 2 USC women’s basketball. The team narrowly secured an 84-79 victory over Indiana in a tense quarterfinal game, thanks to Watkins’ exceptional 31-point effort on 10-of-19 shooting. Alongside her scoring, she contributed 10 rebounds, three steals, and two assists during the game.
According to the Big Ten Network, this was Watkins’ second consecutive game with over 30 points and her seventh such performance of the season. Notably, it marked her 21st game with at least 30 points in her career, the second-highest in Trojans history.
Watkins truly shined in the final quarter, leading USC to victory as she scored seven points, grabbed five rebounds, and provided a steal and an assist to fend off Indiana’s comeback attempts. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb praised Watkins’ winning mentality, stating, “It’s early in her career to talk about overall greatness, but I think she has that something that you can’t really describe.”
The victory propels USC to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament, where they will face the winner of the Maryland vs. Michigan matchup. Before this game, Watkins boasted impressive season stats, ranking second in the country for scoring average at 24.4 points per game.
Here are Watkins’ detailed stats from the Indiana game and her season stats leading up to it:
– Points: 31
– Shooting: 10 of 19 (52.6%)
– 3-point shooting: 1 of 3 (33%)
– Rebounds: 10
– Assists: 2
– Steals: 3
– Blocks: 1
– Turnovers: 6
Being a key player for USC, Watkins has been a standout performer this season, excelling not only in scoring but also in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Her exceptional contributions have cemented her as a crucial asset for the team in their pursuit of success in the tournament.
