Torn ACL Ends JuJu Watkins’ Sophomore Season At USC

She suffered a season-ending injury during the first quarter of USC's latest basketball game

University of Southern California’s JuJu Watkins will be missing in action as she suffered a season-ending injury during the first quarter of USC’s latest women’s basketball game in the NCAA Tournament.

The school posted an update on its X account for the women’s basketball team, stating that her season is over and she will have surgery due to the injury she suffered at the game.

“JuJu Watkins sustained a season-ending injury in the NCAA Second Round on Monday night. She will undergo surgery and then begin rehabilitation shortly thereafter.”

JuJu Watkins sustained a season-ending injury in the NCAA Second Round on Monday night. She will undergo surgery and then begin rehabilitation shortly thereafter.

— USC Women’s Basketball (@USCWBB) March 25, 2025

ESPN reported that the superstar sophomore will undergo surgery and then start rehabilitation of her knee. The injury occurred on her right knee within five minutes of the beginning of the contest. Medical officials state that she suffered a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) while playing against Mississippi State on March 24.

“I’d be lying if I told you that I wasn’t rattled seeing JuJu on the floor crying,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “This is a human game and so I obviously tried my best to be what I need to be for the team, but internally it’s a lot.”

Watkins was expected to make a run at former Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark’s all-time NCAA scoring record by the time she ended her collegiate career. She set a record for most points scored by a freshman when she scored 920 points during her first year of play. She is the first freshman in Division I history to score more than 900 points in a single season. She broke the record of San Diego State University’s Tina Hutchinson, who scored 898 points when she broke the record during the 1983-84 season.

USC is the No. 1 seed for the tournament and will try to capture the title without its star player. The team, now 30-3, won the game by a convincing blowout score of 96-59. This is the first season that the Trojans have won 30 games in a season since 1986.