JuJu Watkins and USC redefine ‘blowout’ in 85-point win after forcing opponents to 43 turnovers
JuJu Watkins and her USC Trojans are taking easy games seriously in their bid to win the NCAA championship.
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USC star JuJu Watkins and her team are on a rampage in this NCAA season
In sports, a phenomenon that often occurs is when the term ‘blowout win’ is used. It generally suggests that one team has managed to outscore the other by multiple scores. In basketball, blowout wins are common as the top teams usually do that against meddling teams. But JuJu Watkins and her USC Trojans just redefined the very definition of a blowout.
The second-year star and her team have already won their first two games. The second of those was a blowout win as the NCAA Championship favorites won against the Cal Poly Mustangs by a scoreline of 90-35. A 55-point win is surely a larger than usual margin when to justify it being a lopsided win.
But earlier, the No. 3 ranked program went one better. They outscored Cal State Northridge Matadors by an astounding 85 points. To achieve that, Watkins and her teammates forced their opponents to commit 43 turnovers. They then converted those turnovers into 63 points.
The final score of 124-39 helped the USC Trojans women’s basketball program to set their single game scoring record. To set that record, head coach Lindsay Gottlieb unleashed all her players into the game. At the end of it, all of them also were on the scoresheet as Gottlieb celebrated her 300th win.
JuJu Watkins continued to be the highest scorer for her team with 21 points, nine assists and six steals. But she also played the longest with 28 minutes on the court. Gottlieb restricted the rest of her players to 20 minutes, as it was already becoming too much for Cal State.
JuJu Watkins and USC to play a tough remaining schedule
These three games might have been easy, but the remaining games might not be. Starting from their fifth game on the 24th of this month, JuJu Watkins and her teammates will face a strong Notre Dame squad. That will be the first true litmus test for the championship favorites as Notre Dame are also favorites to reach the Finals.
Almost exactly a month later, a bigger game, which could be a possible trailer to the NCAA Championship, will take place. On the 22nd of December, USC will travel across the country to take on the UConn Huskies. The two already battled during the NCAA Elite Eight last season.
But back then, Watkins was just a freshman and did not have this lineup around her. Now, she has a team capable of winning it all, making them the perfect counter to UConn, who are playing elite basketball with Paige Bueckers leading. That game will show how far the 19-year-old has developed as a basketball player.
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Joseph Varghese
(2164 Articles Published)