LOS ANGELES — The last few games have been anything but normal for Southern California star JuJu Watkins.
She had one of the best freshman campaigns ever last season, scoring at will while bringing the Trojans back into the national spotlight. She largely picked up where she left off to begin this season and looked set to be the next face of the sport.
But recently, she hadn’t really looked like it. USC was still winning, but Watkins was struggling. In her prior four games, she shot just 31% from the field, nothing close to her standards.
The sport could only wonder: Is this the sophomore slump? Is Watkins finally slowing down?
She had us all fooled.
The hometown kid shined Thursday, doing it all to lead No. 6 USC to a 71-60 win over rival and No. 1 UCLA, handing the Bruins their first loss of the season.
Any worries about a continued slump disappeared the moment she put up her first shot: a 3-pointer. It went right through the net and she put three fingers up in the air, a sign of things to come.
She almost couldn’t miss. When her team was struggling to get a bucket, Watkins was there to save the day, pulling up from beyond the arc or weaving through the lane. In the first half, she had 25 of USC’s 38 points, including a whopping six made 3-pointers on seven attempts. Everyone not named Watkins shot 4-for-19 in the first 30 minutes, while the guard was 9-for-15.
“What I was so impressed with tonight was just the mentality she came out with,” head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “Obviously, the ball going through the net helps.”
Of course, it was going to take more than shooting the lights out to put away the No. 1 team in the country. The Bruins came out of halftime and went on a 10-0 run, with center Lauren Betts starting to take control in the paint.
It was a fate all 23 teams that previously faced UCLA had suffered. Betts starts to become a nightmare matchup in the post and the win streak continues. USC center Clarice Akunwafo and company were doing all they could to slow down the 6-foot-7 player of the year candidate.
But during a break in the action, Watkins went up to Akunwafo and told her something: Betts is a great player, and she’s going to score, but I got your back.
How did Watkins live up to the promise? By blocking a career-high eight shots, including some swats on Betts.
“She did have my back after that,” Akunwafo said.
After doing so much scoring, Watkins took over the game on the defensive end, seemingly leaping into the air and swatting anything in her vicinity. Betts would get the ball in the post and would be met by a swift block from Watkins.
The defensive intensity led to a complete shutdown of the Bruins. After leading by five entering the fourth quarter, UCLA scored just eight points in the final 10 minutes. Watkins ended up with more blocks in the quarter (five) than UCLA had made field goals (two).
“Whatever it takes to win,” Watkins said. “I didn’t plan on having that many blocks, but I think that’s what we needed to win. Any way I could help out, that’s my goal.”
The rest of the Trojans were able to put the finishing touches on the signature victory. But it was a night that completely belonged to Watkins.
“She’s always been that way,” said UCLA head coach Cori Close. “She takes a ton of chances, and she’s able to get into a rhythm and really anticipate those; she takes pride on both sides of the ball. She’s a really good player. Credit to her for some of the plays that she’s made.”
Akunwafo said she didn’t notice Watkins had been struggling recently, but Thursday night may have seen Watkins flip the switch at the right time.
Watkins mentioned she did notice Sanaa Lathan, who played fictional USC star Monica Wright in the classic 2000 film “Love & Basketball,” was in the star-studded crowd and said “you can’t disappoint” in front of the “OG.”
A 38-point game with 11 rebounds, five assists and eight blocks will not disappoint anyone.
Heading into the night, Watkins reminded herself to just play the game with joy. She needed to bring back that youthful spirit, the same one that got her to play for her hometown team.
“That’s the biggest thing for me; go just be happy out there, go out there with my teammates and get the job done,” Watkins said. “It has been a tough couple weeks for me, but just staying true to the process. I mean, there’s a lesson in everything, and I think that is to always stay joyful on the court.”
There was plenty of joy inside the sold-out Galen Center. Gottlieb told the crowd after the victory, USC’s first over a No. 1-ranked team since 1983, it wouldn’t be one the team ever forgets.
If Watkins continues to shine on the biggest stage, there will be much more joy and unforgettable nights awaiting the Trojans in March.