LOS ANGELES — The celebrities had been out on the Galen Heart as USC hosted its undefeated crosstown rival UCLA in a top-10 showdown. Vanessa and Natalia Bryant had been in attendance, as had been Flea, Issa Rae, Kevin Hart, and Los Angeles Sparks Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby. To not point out actor Sanaa Lathan, who JuJu Watkins personally shouted out postgame for her iconic position as a Trojans basketball star in “Love and Basketball.”
Irrespective of what number of icons dotted the sidelines, it was Watkins who was the star. The very best and brightest in Los Angeles got here to see her placed on a present, and Watkins delivered.
“It’s actually a dream come true,” Watkins mentioned of taking part in on this stage. “And when you might have folks like that present up, you possibly can’t disappoint.”
The sophomore completed the night time with 38 factors, 11 rebounds, and eight blocks in USC’s 71-60 victory. It was her second-highest scoring complete of the season (behind her 40 factors in opposition to California Baptist) and her career-best in blocks. Her earlier excessive was 5 rejections. She grew to become the primary Division I participant to submit 35 factors, 5 blocks and 5 assists in a sport within the final 20 seasons.
Coming into Thursday’s matchup, Cori Shut stumped for her star Lauren Betts because the Huge Ten and nationwide Participant of the 12 months, saying, “I actually do imagine she’s been essentially the most persistently impactful participant on either side of the ball.” It was becoming that Watkins had her best efficiency of the season exhibiting her versatility on each ends, punctuated by with the ability to assist shut down Betts.
Watkins impacts each aspect of the sport in each space of the courtroom. Early on, she helped USC construct an early lead together with her jumper. Maybe as a result of Watkins had been taking pictures poorly from lengthy vary – she had made eight 3-pointers in her final six video games on 22.9 p.c taking pictures – the Bruins selected to go underneath on screens to protect in opposition to her drives. Each time a defender gave her the additional area, Watkins launched, making 6 of seven 3s within the first half.
By the point she had made her fifth triple, she had 19 factors, outscoring UCLA on her personal to place USC up 14. After the Bruins clawed again and tied the sport with a minute left within the second quarter, she remoted on Londynn Jones and elevated for her sixth make to maintain the Trojans forward on the break.
“We’ll be speaking about this with our teaching workers years from now,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb mentioned after the sport, “JuJu’s simply heroic shot-making and energy and depth, particularly coming after the million questions she will get when it’s not excellent on the market.”
Because the tenor of the sport modified, Watkins developed in actual time. UCLA threw 4 totally different defenders at her in single protection within the first half, and he or she discovered her well past every of them. Gabriela Jaquez might be moved with a display, freshman Kendall Dudley bit on Watkins’ fakes, and Janiah Barker wasn’t disciplined sufficient to maintain monitor of Watkins’ motion.
Watkins had some preliminary issue with Londynn Jones regardless of almost a foot benefit in top, as Jones used her pace and quick palms to disrupt Watkins’ deal with. The USC sophomore needed to hold the ball a bit greater and get to her shot extra rapidly. Within the fourth quarter, Watkins lastly discovered Jones’ reaching sample and baited her defender into fouling her on a rip-through; these free throws kickstarted a 9-0 run that determined the sport.
Watkins additionally discovered extra methods to influence the sport defensively. Early on, she was flying at Jones to shut out on the 3-point line, realizing that Jones is a greater shooter from exterior the arc than in. Nonetheless, these aggressive closeouts gave Jones the time to step into pull-up jumpers with no contest. Watkins was extra measured within the second half, avoiding the urge to leap and get out of place in order that Jones couldn’t dribble previous her. With the jumper now not accessible to her, Jones tried to drive at Watkins, however Watkins was simply capable of include these forays to the rim.
Gottlieb additionally referred to as on Watkins to be extra lively in assist protection within the second half, as Betts was getting too comfy in isolation. She advised Watkins she wanted to be good about when to convey the double, however Watkins had already picked up on Betts’ tendencies.
“Betts is simply an anomaly, so it was simply necessary that (the bigs) knew the guards had their again as effectively, and we’re all linked collectively,” Watkins mentioned. “I used to be capable of get my palms on numerous Betts’ pictures when it got here right down to the stretch of it. Simply any method I may also help out defensively, I’m right down to do it.”
Along with Betts, Watkins rotated over a number of occasions to get rejections on Kiki Rice, backing up Kennedy Smith, who was making use of aggressive ball stress on Rice on the level of assault. All of these blocks created transition alternatives the opposite method, and Watkins was unattainable to cease with a head of steam. Along with her seven free throw makes an attempt within the second half, Watkins additionally had three assists in transition, all leading to layups.
The Bruins got here into the sport with a plan to make Watkins beat them from distance. When she proved able to doing that, they tried to disclaim her the ball altogether. That compelled Watkins to create possessions together with her protection, forcing turnovers and getting out in transition. No matter transfer the Bruins made, Watkins had a counter. She delivered the final blow, spearheading a 24-8 fourth quarter together with her playmaking on each ends of the ground.
this sequence >>> pic.twitter.com/PH3KyIG7Xo
— USC Girls’s Basketball (@USCWBB) February 14, 2025
“It has been a troublesome couple weeks for me, however I’m simply staying true to the method,” Watkins mentioned. “There’s a lesson in all the things and I believe that’s to all the time keep joyful within the course.”
In her second season, Watkins hasn’t had the exclamation factors that outlined her first, be it the debut sport in opposition to Ohio State or dropping 51 in Maples Pavilion in opposition to Stanford. However she has nonetheless produced on the highest of ranges and affected successful in a method that few else can, constructing on her first-team All-America marketing campaign from a yr in the past.
Thursday was her headliner, a marquee efficiency to spotlight her case for the nationwide Participant of the 12 months. No higher time or place to showcase her abilities than in a rivalry sport in opposition to the No. 1 workforce within the nation.
(Photograph of JuJu Watkins: Ronald Martinez / Getty Photos)