USC Coach Had Powerful Postgame Message to Team After JuJu Watkins’s Injury

USC got a big win, but lost its star player to a season-ending injury.

USC's Lindsay Gottlieb had a powerful message after her team's win. / @NCAA

The No. 1 USC women's basketball team is heading to the Sweet 16 after their blowout victory at home over Mississippi State on Monday, but they'll be doing so without their star guard JuJu Watkins, who suffered a devastating injury early in the victory.

Watkins, who is one of the best players in women's college basketball, tore her ACL while driving to the basket in the first quarter. Her season is now over and she'll soon start a long road to recovery.

Of course, USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was still very proud of her team after the win and cameras caught her powerful postgame message in the locker room:

"I am so grateful," she said. "You guys had my back. You had each other’s back. You had Ju’s back. The fans had your back. We were a team. We were drop, drop, drop, drop and then the tidal wave ocean came and I will never forget this game for as long as I live."

Here are her full comments:

Southern California Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb addresses the locker room after their Second Round win 🙌#MarchMadness x @USCWBB pic.twitter.com/8rlcfYjhqN

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 25, 2025

USC will face Kansas State on Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET.

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