USC Beats Kansas State in 1st Game Since JuJu Watkins Injury, Clinches Elite 8 Berth

Despite the absence of JuJu Watkins, USC defeated Kansas State by the final score of 67-61 in the 2025 NCAA women's basketball tournament on Saturday.

With the win, the Trojans advanced to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year.

It was an impressive performance from USC without Watkins, who suffered a torn ACL during the team's second-round win over Mississippi State on Monday.

The Trojans took a four-point lead with just over four minutes remaining in the game on a layup by Kennedy Smith, stringing together several defensive stops and scoring their final eight points of the contest on free throws to seal the win.

Fans were impressed with the shorthanded victory.

Saturday's matchup was a back-and-forth affair, with neither squad leading by more than seven points.

Smith finished with a team-high 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, racking up three steals.

Meanwhile, freshman guard Avery Howell recorded 18 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Howell hit four three-pointers, while Kansas State connected on just five triples as a team.

The Trojans also overcame a rough shooting night from Kiki Iriafen to win. Iriafen, USC's second-leading scorer behind Watkins, ended the game with a mere seven points on 3-of-13 shooting.

The defensive intensity throughout the game from head coach Lindsay Gottlieb's team paid off, as the Wildcats committed 16 turnovers compared to just 10 assists.

USC is now set to face off against UConn for a chance to clinch a spot in the Final Four.