PORTLAND, Ore. — JuJu Watkins sobbed following USC’s Elite Eight loss to UConn however her tears weren’t a lot in regards to the finish of the NCAA Event run for the Trojans.
The proficient freshman was unhappy it was the final recreation along with her teammates till subsequent season.
“I’ve the very best teammates on the earth,” she stated, her voice trailing off as she wept.
An AP first-team All-American, Watkins averaged 27 factors this season, second solely to Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, who set the sport’s all-time Division I scoring report this season.
Watkins confirmed she might be the inheritor obvious to Clark as soon as the Iowa sensation departs to the WNBA after this season.
Within the closing recreation of her freshman season, an 80-73 loss to the Huskies, Watkins completed with 29 factors. Throughout the recreation, she broke the single-season freshman scoring report, which was 898 factors set in 1983 by Tina Hutchinson at San Diego State.
Watkin’s closing tally this season was 920.
“The report is nice. Simply the moments that I’ve acquired to spend with this group have meant the whole lot to me,” she stated. “I’m simply excited for subsequent yr.”
Watkins made a splash in her school debut with 32 factors in an 83-74 victory over Ohio State. She scored a season-high 51 factors in a 67-58 win over Stanford on Feb. 2.
Within the Candy 16, she took management within the closing moments, driving the size of the ground for a go-ahead three-point play with 3:13 left and the Trojans went on to beat Baylor 74-70. Watkins completed with 30 factors and pushed USC into its first Elite Eight look in 30 years.
USC senior McKenzie Forbes marveled at her younger teammate.
“It’s actually uncommon that you simply get a celebrity that may are available in. She’s selfless. She’s mature. She’s a winner. She solely cares about successful. She’s (expletive) 18 years previous. Sorry. Excuse my language,” Forbes stated. “Critically, I’d wish to be her teammate day by day of the week. I really imply that. I believe this program couldn’t be in higher arms than along with her.”
The Elite Eight was so far as the Trojans might get within the event, stopped by a decided UConn group and star Paige Bueckers. The Huskies made it robust on Watkins by double-teaming her successfully.
“For her to have the yr she had as a freshman, fearless, assured, top-of-the-line gamers within the nation, she’s acquired so much to construct on,” Bueckers stated. “I do know getting right here, feeling this loss, we’ve been part of it, it’s very motivating. It enables you to construct expertise on methods to be higher, methods to study from it.”
Watkins, a hometown child who went to Sierra Canyon in Los Angeles, was certainly one of a number of high-profile freshmen this season, together with Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo and Texas’ Madison Booker.
With Hollywood as a backdrop, Watkins captured the Los Angeles highlight. She’s even featured in a tv business with Joel Embiid for AT&T that showcases her distinctive bun coiffure — certainly one of a number of endorsement offers she’s landed.
Nevertheless it’s the sport that motivates her.
“I believe simply developing quick, that provides a variety of gasoline to the hearth for the subsequent couple years,” she stated. “I’m simply excited to return dwelling and get within the health club now. I’m actually targeted on studying from this season as a complete, issues I can enhance on.”