The USC Trojans entered the 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament as the top seed in the Spokane region and one of the favorites to win the title. JuJu Watkins was a massive reason why. The two-time All-American is already one of the best players in the world and everyone was comparing her to Caitlin Clark. The Trojans had high hopes, but they were quickly dashed on March 24.
Watkins went down on a scary looking play in the first quarter of their second round game against Mississippi State. She held her leg and had to be helped off the floor. Fans feared the worst immediately. The Trojans picked up a 96-59 win without their star, but it did little to lift the crushing feeling.
It did not take long for the news to break. Watkins suffered a torn ACL, according to Shams Charania. It will be a lengthy recovery and her injury changes everything in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
JuJu Watkins injury alters 2025 NCAA Tournament
The Trojans are unlikely to get past Kansas State in the next round. That makes UConn and Paige Bueckers the favorites to advance out of the region and make the Final Four. USC still has plenty of talent, but not having their top playmaker and scorer is nearly impossible to overcome.
Expect Kiki Iriafen to step up for USC. Many believed she would be the number two overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft entering the season, but she has not lived up to those lofty heights. The 6’3 forward dominated for Stanford and will get her chance to shine as the number one option. If she leads the Trojans on a deep run, it could shoot her back up draft boards.
It is a devastating injury for Watkins. With a nine to 12-month recovery, fans will be lucky to see her play at all during her junior season. It dashes her hopes of breaking Caitlin Clark’s NCAA scoring record and all but ruins USC’s chances of winning a national title in 2025 or 2026. It was heart-breaking, but expect JuJu to attack her rehab and return better than ever.
It may alter Watkins' future plans. She could stay in college another year and delay entering the WNBA Draft if she misses the entire 2025-26 season. This injury has massive ripple effects that will be felt for years to come.
South Carolina and UConn are the unquestioned top two teams in this year’s tournament. Paige Bueckers hopes to finally get an NCAA championship. She tore her ACL in 2022 and missed an entire season. Bueckers is proof that Watkins can return better than ever and remain a star.
There is plenty of drama still to unfold in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, but it was a sad night seeing Watkins suffer a season-ending injury. Stay tuned for all the latest.