JuJu Watkins' Injury Creates Major Shake-Up in March Madness Tournament

The USC Trojans suffered a tough loss on Monday night.

USC superstar guard JuJu Watkins suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the tournament and possibly most of next season.

Watkins established herself as one of the best players in the country, men or women. Now, the Trojans will look to capture their third title in program history without their best player. While it is easier said than done, the road will be even more dire than it was before.

The Trojans already had a tough road before the injury. While they are the No. 1 seed in the Spokane 4 bracket, they are on the same side as one of the best teams in the tournament, the UConn Huskies.

JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans in the second half during the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Galen Center on March 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.The loss of the… JuJu Watkins #12 of the USC Trojans in the second half during the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Galen Center on March 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.The loss of the star USC guard will put a damper on the Trojans’ title hopes. Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Whether they were viewed as favorites or not before the injury, it will be a tough hill to climb without Watkins on their side. A matchup in the Elite Eight could still be in the cards, but similar to last season, the road could stop there for the Trojans.

That is, even if the Trojans can get there. Although Watkins missed most of Monday’s game, USC came out on top in dominant fashion, 96-59 over No. 9 seed Mississippi State. The Trojans will now take on the No. 5 seed Kansas State in the Sweet 16 on Saturday.

The Kansas State game alone will be a battle. They are a veteran group led by center Ayoka Lee. Lee, 24, averages 15.6 points per game and shoots 64.1 percent from the field. She will be a handful with or without Watkins in the lineup.

If the Trojans somehow beat the Wildcats, they will then need to face either the No. 2 seed Huskies or the No. 3 seed Oklahoma Sooners. It doesn’t stop there. If they somehow beat either the Sooners or the Huskies, they will likely face their archrivals and the overall No.1. seed in the tournament, the UCLA Bruins, in the Final Four.

With or without Watkins, this is a massive uphill battle for the Trojans. However, without Watkins, it feels almost impossible. Although Watkins is their best player, they are a deep group with others who can step up when called upon, like senior forward Kiki Iriafen.

Iriafen played great on Monday night, recording a season-high 36 points. The Trojans also have others who can carry the load, including senior Rayah Marshall and freshmen Kennedy Smith, Avery Howell, and Kayleigh Heckel.

While Watkins gets all the shine, the Trojans have enough to make a deep tournament turn without the sophomore phenom. However, it will take a village and everyone to be on their P’s and Q’s to get the job done without Watkins.