USC's women's basketball team celebrated their Sweet 16 victory over Kansas State while superstar JuJu Watkins watched from Los Angeles due to a season-ending ACL tear. Her absence affected the anticipated matchup against UConn and Paige Bueckers, two of the brightest stars in women's college basketball. Despite the excitement surrounding the game, it remains a poignant moment for USC as they navigate their progress without their key player, a situation mirrored by UConn's own struggles with injuries.
JuJu Watkins, the superstar and heartbeat of their team, phoned the locker room as her teammates celebrated their big win, hyping them up after USC had secured consecutive Elite Eight berths for the first time since 1982-84.
Watkins, responsible for revitalizing the USC women's basketball program after years of dormancy, had to watch the game from Los Angeles. The national player of the year front-runner sustained a season-ending ACL tear in the Trojans' second-round NCAA tournament game against Mississippi State.
The potential matchup every fan had circled was a rematch of last year's Elite Eight and a showdown between two of the brightest stars in the game.
Coach Geno Auriemma and Bueckers relate more than most to the predicament USC and Watkins face, as UConn has dealt with a slew of season-ending injuries.
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