LOS ANGELES – No one bothered to bring out a hammock or Barcalounger courtside at the Galen Center.
But JuJu Watkins, Southern California’s All-American guard, got some rest as the Trojans beat No. 16 seed UNC Greensboro 71-25 Saturday in the first round of the women’s NCAA tournament.
She played 28 minutes. That’s seven minutes fewer than her team-high average of 35 minutes per game.
It still was enough time for her to score a game-high 22 points, along with eight rebounds and commendable defense. And the rest could prove helpful with the Trojans (31-1) set to play Monday against the winner of the California-Mississippi State game in the second round.
Injury update: JuJu Watkins rolls ankle in USC March Madness game
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With Southern California burying UNC Greensboro, Watkins and the rest of the Trojans’ starters came out with 6:18 left to play.
“We’re fortunate that we were able to sit everybody, all the starters down with about 6:30 to go,” Southern California coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “JuJu probably hasn’t played under 30 minutes in about a month and a half, or whatever, because the Big Ten season is hard.
“So I think we earned the right to be in a game where we can rest some people somewhat.”
Trust in JuJu after injury scare
How Watkins ended up on the bench was not always optimal. In the third quarter, Watkins rolled her left ankle on a drive to the basket and came out for the final 3:39 of the quarter.
She started the fourth quarter and stayed on the floor until Gottlieb pulled all of the starters.
“I listen to her,” Gottlieb said. “I trust our trainers and I say, You good?’ When she says she’s good, I’m probably not going to shut her down when she says she’s good before it’s time to shut her down.”
She also banged up her left hand on a fall in the second quarter but massaged it while staying in the game.
But Watkins arrived at the postgame interview room without a limp and without any noticeable concern.
“I’m all right,” she said. “Don’t worry.”
Assessing JuJu Watkins’ impact on USC
Southern California leaned on its defense and held UNC Greensboro to 13% shooting (7-for-54 ) from the floor. Watkins had three of Southern California’s 17 steals.
Gottlieb said her star guard is “game changing” on both ends of the court.
“She’s always just had qualities that you can’t teach, instincts, timing, her ability to block shots without fouling, her ability to keep someone in front and make it tough on them, Gottlieb said of Watkins. ”But what you add over the course of your career…you take those gifts, and then you add knowledge.
“I feel like that’s what our job is, to try to give them the answers before they take the exam. The greatest players use their instincts, but then they also take whatever the scouting report is and they add that.”
Watkins had plenty of help on defense, which rescued the Trojans from a ragged start that led them leading 12-8 after the first quarter.
Rayah Marshall, Southern California’s senior post player, had seven blocks. The Trojans had 10 as a team and altered countless other shots.
But the Trojans’ high-powered offense sputtered at times.
Southern California shot an underwhelming 37.5 % from the floor. But Watkins, who was 8-for-17 from the floor, said the Trojans had to get the rust off after a two-week layoff.
“Hopefully that’s all done with, and we can really head into this next matchup with our best versions of ourselves and play,” Watkins said.
