USC’s JuJu Watkins Earns Another USBWA National Player of the Week Honor

Women’s Basketball | December 31, 2024

For the third time this season, USC sophomore JuJu Watkins has been selected as one of five Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week honorees by the U.S Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). This latest pick comes after Watkins and her fellow No. 4 Trojans beat No. 23 Michigan 78-58 in their first-ever Big Ten Conference game at Galen Center. Watkins also earned USBWA weekly honors on Dec. 10 and 24 this season.

Watkins pinned up 31 points in USC’s victory over the Wolverines, marking her 17th career game scoring 30 or more points as a Trojan. Along the way, she made a season-high 13 free throws on a season-high 14 tosses, while also recording five rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocks. USC had trailed Michigan by two points four minutes into the third quarter before the Trojans shifted gears and outscored the Wolverines 40-22 the rest of the way.

Watkins’ 31-point outing vs. Michigan also bumped her up the USC career charts to now rank No. 18 all-time in scoring at USC with 1,248 career points. She has scored in double digits in all 13 games for the 12-1 Trojans this season and has hit at least one 3-pointer in the last eight games.

Watkins and the Trojans now turn to face Nebraska in another Big Ten game at Galen Center, where USC hosts the Cornhuskers at 12 p.m. on New Year’s Day.