JuJu Watkins injures knee: USC star carried off floor after being knocked down in Women’s March Madness game
No. 1 seed USC’s matchup against No. 9 seed Mississippi State in the second round of the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament took a scary turn in the middle of the first quarter when Trojans star JuJu Watkins went down with an apparent right knee injury.
USC announced at halftime that Watkins would not return to the game, but did not provide a diagnosis. ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported on the broadcast that Watkins was “wheeled out of the building.”
Watkins was pushing the ball in transition when she was bumped by multiple defenders. She immediately collapsed to the ground and screamed out in pain as she grabbed at her right knee. The Trojans’ medical staff briefly attended to her on the court before carrying her to the locker room.
The officials went to the monitor to review the play, but determined that it was a common foul and did not need to be upgraded. Avery Howell took the free throws for Watkins.
Watkins entered the game with multiple minor knocks to her left hand and left ankle, which occurred during the team’s first-round win over No. 16 seed UNC Greensboro, but was deemed good to go after being a full participant in practice on Sunday.
Without a diagnosis, it’s impossible to say when or if Watkins could return to the court, but the scene at the Galen Center was certainly worrisome.
USC entered the tournament as one of the main contenders to win the national championship thanks in large part to Watkins, who is averaging 24.6 points, seven rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.8 blocks, and will likely be named Naismith Player of the Year later this spring. If she’s out for the remainder of Big Dance, it’s hard to see how the Trojans could lift the trophy.
