LOS ANGELES — No JuJu. Now what?
The USC basketball team faced the question Monday night. There was no choice after a gut-wrenching scene at the Galen Center in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
There was JuJu Watkins, USC’s star, crumpled on the court and holding her right knee in agony.
There she was getting carried off the court, along with her trademark bun and All-America skills, because she could not walk off on her own power.
There were her teammates and a crowd watching mostly in stunned silence when, with 4:43 left in the first quarter and USC leading 13-2, JuJu suffered what turned out to be a season-ending injury.
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Now what?
Here’s what: No. 1 seed USC, expected to contend for a national title before losing Watkins, showed it’s too early to count them out.
The Trojans did not beat No. 5 seed Mississippi State. No, they walloped Mississippi State, 96-59, in front of a raucous crowd and advanced to the Sweet 16.
“You never want anyone to go down, especially someone like JuJu, that we all lean on in so many ways,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “But this team rallied. They rallied for her. They rallied for each other.
“Our fans had our back. I’m just really proud. I think we showed what kind of team we are.”
They are gritty. Tenacious. Skilled.
A team that had an astounding 29 assists against Mississippi State.
“The ball was electric,” said Kiki Iriafen, the 6-3 graduate students who led USC with 36 points. “We were moving that ball. We were passing that ball. That’s what makes the win so grand.
“… I feel like this team, we’re just trying to do whatever we can to keep it going.”
Iriafen exuded passion.
There she was, speeding up and down the floor and powering her way under the basket to not only 36 points and but also nine rebounds.
“Kiki, Kiki,” chanted the crowd when she came out of the game for the final time.
There was Rayah Marshall, the 6-4 senior and USC’s defensive leader, ripping down nine rebounds and blocking four shots to go along with 12 points.
“Rayah, Rayah,” chanted the crowd when she came out of the game for the final time.
There was freshman guard Kayleigh Heckel, who made a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter to put USC up 84-42 and let out a roar.
The crowd roared, too.
“We got our butt kicked by a really good team,” Mississippi State coach Sam Purcell said. “I thought they played inspired when JuJu went down and this place went to another whole level.
“And they have other really good players. When a good player goes down other players step up. I thought that’s what you saw tonight.”
Next up for the Trojans is No. 5 seed Kansas State Saturday in Spokane, Washington. Even on the road, without its home crowd to spur them, the Trojans will be a clear favorite.
A victory likely would lead USC to an Elite Eight matchup against No. 2 seed Connecticut. It would be an infinitely tougher test than Mississippi State or Kansas State.
But on Monday night, the crowd at Galen Center seemed in no mood to look ahead. Instead, the fans relished the final minutes of the route and eventually sent up a final chant.
“We are SC! We are SC!”
Indeed, they are – and after Monday night, counting them out would be a foolish thing to do.
