LOS ANGELES – Juju Watkins came into Galen Center against No. 11 Colorado and did what she does best. It was another day and more broken records for Watkins. Playing in front of an enthusiastic USC crowd, including Cheryl Miller, Watkins broke a record that was held by Miller for most 30-point games in a season.
Watkins made 10 of her 19 field goal attempts and converted all 18 of her free throws to score 42 points against the visiting Buffaloes in an 87-81 Pac-12 Conference win for the Trojans. Watkins started the fourth quarter with a long 3-pointer to make it her 11th time scoring over 30 points in the season.
“That’s insane honestly, but of course, it’s Cheryl Miller. “A long way to go before I’m in that conversation. I’m just happy to be able to be a part of that Trojan legacy and just continue to evolve and grow the game and grow the culture here at SC,” said Watkins.
The 42 points Watkins scored against Colorado were the most points ever scored by a USC player at Galen Center.
Both teams showed off their offense and not much defense as both teams shot over 50% from the field. Colorado shot just a shade over 57 percent from the field. The Trojans made 56 percent of their field goals. The two high-ranking teams played each other tough.
“That felt like a heavyweight fight on a Friday night, and I don’t even know anything about boxing,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said.
Watkins came out determined to have a good game after having a bad shooting game in her last contest against Oregon St. where she shot 18 percent from the field. Watkins was elite on the offensive end and helped give the Trojans the lead after the first quarter.
Watkins ended the period with 15 points as the Trojans mounted a 22-19 edge.
The Trojans and the Buffaloes shot lights out from three in the second quarter. They were perfect with the Trojans going 7-of-7 and the Buffaloes going 5-of-5.
The offenses ruled in the second quarter with USC getting a one-point edge in the period (25-24) to take a 47-43 advantage into halftime. The defenses for both teams were nowhere to be found. The Trojans managed to get a good run to take a lead of 13 points, but the Buffaloes were able to finish the period with a 9-0 run to only be down by four points at halftime.
The third quarter was not a good one for Watkins, who committed turnovers and fouls. She even committed a flagrant foul herself.
“I think it just comes with the energy of it being such an aggressive game, it’s so intense I think I was a little bit crazy tonight,” Watkins said.
The Buffaloes took their first lead in the third period after an 11-0 run. It was their first lead since early in the first quarter. The Trojans fought back to end the period and took a six-point lead into the final quarter.
Watkins was ready to put the game away in the last period and quickly scored 10 points to give the Trojans a double-digit lead which they kept throughout most of the period.
With this win against Colorado, the Trojans won seven straight games. Behind another 30-point game by Watkins against Utah, USC had tried to make it eight consecutive games in the win column. Unfortunately, Watkins and the Trojans came up on the short end of the stick, falling to the Utes, 74-68.
With the regular season winding down with two road games in Arizona, USC is tied with Oregon State for second place in the Pac-12 Conference. McKenzie Forbes had a great game against Colorado, pouring in 24 points and handing out seven assists to compliment the excellent play of Watkins against the Buffaloes.
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