On the finish of a traditionally dominant week by which information had been toppled and ladies’s faculty basketball placed on early discover, JuJu Watkins pulled up from behind the arc in Friday’s sport and bricked. She missed her subsequent jumper too. Then a layup. Then one other three.
It was an uncharacteristically chilly stretch, contemplating the scorching week that had come earlier than it for No. 3 USC. Watkins and her fellow Trojans had simply exploded for a document 124 factors in a win over Cal State Northridge. They’d received their final two by a mixed margin of 140. However right here was Santa Clara climbing again, chopping their result in just some factors, as if to remind the Trojans it wouldn’t at all times be simple.
Watkins finally related on a mid-range jumper, pumping her fists because it fell. And USC finally soared to a different decisive, nonconference win, 81-50.
Alongside the best way, Watkins as soon as once more reminded everybody of the rarefied air she already occupies in girls’s basketball. With USC pulling away, halfway via the third quarter, she pump-faked on the prime of the important thing, then made a jumper from the free-throw line.
The silky-smooth end was nothing out of the unusual for Watkins, who scored 22 factors. However the basket pushed her previous the 1,000-point threshold, a milestone that nobody at USC, or within the Massive Ten Convention, ever reached as rapidly as her.
It took Watkins simply 38 video games to achieve the mark, only one sport slower than the NCAA document holders, Maree Jackson of Louisiana State, Carol Menken of Oregon State and Sandra Hodge of New Orleans, who all reached the mark within the late Seventies or early ’80s. Even Caitlin Clark, the NCAA’s all-time chief in factors, took two extra video games than Watkins to achieve 1,000.
The historic tempo didn’t faze Watkins, who mentioned she didn’t take it with no consideration and was “very blessed” to be within the place to attain a lot, so quick.
USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb assured anybody who’d pay attention, nevertheless, that this was not some ho-hum milestone.
“It’s always worth noting when you break a record at USC, it hits a little different. Because the people that you’re breaking the record from are so great. And JuJu belongs in that conversation,” Gottlieb mentioned. “I don’t want to say we take her accolades for granted. But sometimes, it’s like, ‘Wow she’s four games into her sophomore year and has scored 1,000 points.’ It’s really an incredible accomplishment.”
USC has had no bother making the unimaginable look cavalier during the last week, ever since its slim, season-opening win over Mississippi.
Three blowout wins over Cal Poly, Cal State Northridge and Santa Clara might not do a lot for the power of schedule come NCAA match time. However Gottlieb mentioned she challenged her workforce to make use of that stretch to attempt new issues and study what works with a brand new roster, all of the whereas honing in on particulars that will come in useful later.
“We’re a work in progress,” Gottlieb insisted.
Ahead Kiki Iriafen took that problem to coronary heart Friday when she discovered herself confronted with common double groups down low.
“The paint was packed,” she mentioned, “so it let me step out a little more.”
And together with her midrange jumper falling, Iriafen contributed 20 factors on nine-for-14 taking pictures. It was the kind of efficiency that confirmed how malleable USC’s offense could possibly be at its full potential, with Iriafen and Watkins capable of rating from anyplace on the ground.
“We haven’t had a post player who shoots it as well as she does,” Gottlieb mentioned of her senior ahead.
Watkins had but to completely unlock her personal outdoors shot via three video games heading into Friday. She got here into the sport simply two for 13 from three-point vary, solely to hit three from deep.
That effort won’t have led to an 85-point victory, like their final outing. Nor did the Trojans rating in triple digits for the third straight sport. However with Notre Dame looming subsequent weekend, Watkins insisted there was loads to study from every week spent steamrolling opponents.
“We continue to learn each other over the time we have; I think that’s more valuable than anything,” Watkins mentioned. “Our chemistry will continue to grow. We’re all kind of new together.
“We don’t take anything for granted.”
