Tue Mar 25 02:30:00 UTC 2025: ## USC Women’s Basketball Star JuJu Watkins Injured in NCAA Tournament Game
**LOS ANGELES –** USC Women’s Basketball suffered a major blow minutes into their NCAA Tournament game against Mississippi State on Friday night. Star player JuJu Watkins suffered a right knee injury during a fast break, forcing her to leave the game and raising concerns about her status.
Watkins went down with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter after an apparent collision with Mississippi State’s Chandler Prater. The foul was called on Prater, but a review determined it was not a flagrant foul, a decision that drew boos from the USC crowd at the Galen Center. Watkins, visibly in pain, was unable to put weight on her leg and had to be carried off the court. USC’s athletic director, Jennifer Cohen, was seen leaving the stands to check on Watkins’ condition.
As of the second quarter, USC has yet to provide an update on the severity of Watkins’ injury. Her absence is a significant blow to the Trojans, who were leading 13-2 at the time of the injury.
The game also saw a second injury scare when guard Malia Samuels took a hard fall, hitting her shoulder and head. After receiving medical attention, Samuels briefly left the game but returned a few minutes later.
The situation remains fluid, and further updates are expected. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
First Piper 