The No. 1 seed USC Trojans were one of the favorites to win the women's NCAA Tournament. Big Ten Player of the Year JuJu Watkins was a huge part of those projections. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Lindsey Gotlieb will be able to turn to her star guard for the rest of March Madness.
Watkins' status is not officially known. She suffered a knee injury during the first quarter of Monday's second round game against No. 9 seed Mississippi State. Further testing is needed to know the extent of the damage.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say USC needs to start planning for life without JuJu. What does the Trojans' lineup look like now?
Updated USC depth chart: Who will replace JuJu Watkins in March Madness?
Position | Starter | Backup |
|---|---|---|
G | Avery Howell | Aaliyah Gayles |
G | Kennedy Smith | Kayleigh Heckel |
G | Talia von Oelhoffen | Malia Samuels |
F | Kiki Iriafen | Vivian Iwuchukwu |
C/F | Rayah Marshall | Clarice Akunwafo |
Here's the thing about USC's lineup: It's chock-full of stellar basketball players, starting with Kiki Iriafen.
Iriafen transferred to USC from Stanford, where she averaged 19.4 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. For all intents and purposes, it's Iriafen who will replace Watkins. They don't play the same position, but she's capable of providing the biggest impact in Watkins' absence.
There was no question against Mississippi State who would become the new focal point for the Trojans. Iriafen exploded for 29 points on 13-of-18 shooting in three quarters.
USC will also lean on Rayah Marshall, who averaged double-digit scoring in her first three seasons with the Trojans but took on more of a defensive role this year.
Guard Talia Von Oelhoffen is another veteran presence who should be able to up her game. She transferred to USC after four seasons with Oregon State.
The biggest challenge falls at the feet of a trio of young guards. Kennedy Smith has been a stalwart starter in her first season. Avery Howell seems the most likely to take over Watkins' place in the starting line up, but fellow freshman Kayleigh Heckel will see more minutes as well.
Sophomore Malia Samuels, a regular off the bench, could also see her role expand.