LAS VEGAS — JuJu Watkins is set to play her first college game in more than a year and a half when third-ranked USC opens its women’s basketball season Monday against UNLV at T-Mobile Arena in the Hall of Fame Series.
Watkins missed all of last season after an ACL tear suffered during USC’s 2025 NCAA Tournament run. She showed she is ready in a recent exhibition against California, putting up 18 points in 22 minutes.
The senior guard averaged 25.6 points over her first two seasons and has 1,709 career points, the highest total any Division I women’s player has reached through two years. Her 21 games of 30 or more points are four short of the school record held by Cheryl Miller.
Her new backcourt partner is Jazzy Davidson, a 17.9-point scorer as a freshman last season. Watkins and Davidson have both been named national freshman of the year, making USC the first program since Baylor in 2011 with two winners of that award on one roster. Guard Saniyah Hall scored 23 points in the exhibition.
Watkins has said she has pictured her first basket back many times and expects it to be emotional. While sidelined, she took on a bigger leadership role with the team.
Coach Lindsay Gottlieb is 111-50 in her sixth season. USC has won 11 straight season openers and is chasing its first national title since 1984.
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