JuJu Watkins, No. 1 USC Applauded by Fans in NCAA Tournament Rout Amid Injury Scare

Superstar sophomore guard and the top-seeded USC Trojans defeated the No. 16 UNC Greensboro Spartans 71-25 in the first round of the 2025 NCAA women's basketball tournament on Saturday.

Playing at USC's Galen Center in Los Angeles, the Trojans smothered the Spartans defensively, holding them to 13.0 percent shooting in the game.

USC struggled offensively in its own right, shooting just 37.5 percent from the field and 21.4 percent from three-point range, but it was more than enough given UNC Greensboro's cold shooting.

As is usually the case, Watkins was the catalyst behind the Trojans' success, finishing with a game-high 22 points to go along with eight rebounds, three steals and two assists despite seemingly getting banged up with hand and ankle injuries during the first and second halves, respectively.

On the heels of another strong performance by the Naismith Women's College Player of the Year candidate, fans gave Watkins her proverbial flowers on social media:

There was some concern regarding Watkins' health during the first half, as she began nursing her left hand or wrist during the first quarter, as pointed out by ESPN Los Angeles:

Despite that, Watkins played big minutes in the first half and was by far USC's top performer with 11 points, while no other Trojans player had more than five points in the opening half.

Watkins was wearing a wrap on her hand to start the second half, but she took it off shortly thereafter, per SI.com's Bryan Fischer:

The ailment didn't seem to impact Watkins much, as she took over the game in the third quarter, scoring nine points.

However, Watkins rolled her ankle during a drive to the basket late in the third quarter. She stayed in the game and made a three-pointer before heading to the locker room and then returning to the bench shortly thereafter.

Despite the Trojans leading by 37 after three quarters, Watkins still returned to play in the fourth, which suggests the injury was only minor.

Entering Saturday's game, USC was the No. 4-ranked team in the nation with a 28-3 record, so it came as no surprise that UNC Greensboro was unable to keep up.

The competition will get considerably tougher in the second round when Watkins and the Trojans face either No. 8 California or No. 9 Mississippi State.