JuJu Watkins is away from the USC basketball team after suffering a torn ACL, but her teammates found a way to get her on the bench for the Sweet 16.

Former WNBA superstar Chiney Ogwumike tells TMZ Sports she's absolutely positive we'll be seeing JuJu Watkins getting buckets on the hardwood again in the near future.

JuJu Watkins was on the USC bench as the Trojans advanced to the Elite Eight with a 67-61 win over Kansas State on Saturday. Well, sort of. Watkins tore her ACL in the second round of the tournament and therefore she did not make the trip up the coast.

Kennedy Smith stepped into the void left by injured star JuJu Watkins, scoring 19 points to help Southern California hold off Kansas State 67-61 in the Sweet 16.

Despite the absence of JuJu Watkins, USC defeated Kansas State by the final score of 67-61 in the 2025 NCAA women's basketball tournament on Saturday. With the win, the Trojans advanced to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive year.

UConn guard Paige Bueckers told reporters she was "sick to her stomach" after hearing news that USC guard JuJu Watkins suffered a season-ending torn ACL in her right knee. "Just sick to my stomach," Bueckers said when asked about her reaction to the news.

Paige Bueckers said she reached out to JuJu Watkins to offer support during her recovery, a process Bueckers underwent after tearing her ACL in 2022.

USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said during a press conference on Friday that JuJu Watkins' season-ending ACL tear was not the result of a dirty play. Gottlieb also condemned the online abuse that Mississippi State players have faced in the wake of the injury,

Watkins' suffered a season-ending knee injury in the second round. The ramifications extend beyond the Trojans.