How JuJu Watkins' Knee Injury Impacts USC and the Rest of the Women's Tournament

The women's college basketball tournament is a spectacle to behold, but it also serves as a reminder that sports can be cruel.

That was the case on Monday night when -- in the first quarter of USC's second tournament game -- All American JuJu Watkins suffered a torn ACL. The school announced she would miss the remainder of the season shortly after the game.

One of the best players in the sport, JuJu's injury has widespread implications for the rest of the field.

Let's break down the JuJu Watkins knee injury and talk through how it impacts USC and the rest of the women's college basketball tournament.

JuJu Watkins' Knee Injury

Early in USC's second round win over Mississippi State, JuJu Watkins went down hard on a fastbreak. She immediately grabbed her right knee and had to be carried off the floor.

Watkins did not return to the game. Shams Charania reported it to be a torn ACL.

After the game, USC announced JuJu Watkins would miss the remainder of the season.

USC Without JuJu Watkins

USC went on to win the game with ease, though JuJu's injury certainly puts a damper on their outlook going forward.

Watkins has appeared in all 33 games for the Trojans. She leads the team in points (23.9), assists (3.4), and steals (2.2), ranks second in blocks (1.8) and is third in rebounds (6.8).

It's hard to overstate how much JuJu Watkins meant to this USC team. She was especially impactful against higher-level competition, averaging 26.8 points against top 20 teams in Bart Torvik's power ratings.

All's not lost for USC; they still have one of the best posts in the country in Kiki Irafen, and she exploded for 36 points in Watkins' absence. The Trojans beat Mississippi State by 37 despite JuJu's injury, so this is still one of the nation's top teams.

But it's impossible not to downgrade the Trojans long-term. They already faced an uphill battle getting to the semifinals with 2 seed UConn at the bottom of their region, but not having Watkins for that matchup is a game-changer. She scored 25 points in USC's road win over the Huskies earlier this year and was the only Trojan starter to shoot better than 50% from the floor.

That's assuming SC gets past Kansas State in the Round of 16, and the Wildcats are a dangerous 5 seed now that center Ayoka Lee is back in the mix. Without Watkins, USC is only favored by 1.5 points against Kansas State. The over/under is set at 141.5 as of FanDuel Sportsbook on Tuesday afternoon.

Betting Fallout After JuJu Watkins' Injury

The women's college basketball betting odds have been impacted by JuJu Watkins' injury, too.

USC was always considered an underdog to win Region 4, but their national title odds have soared with Watkins injured. They're +300 to win the national championship after sitting shorter than 10/1 for much of the season.

This has also impacted UConn's national championship odds. They're the favorite at +170, though South Carolina isn't far behind at +190.

UConn's path to the national championship just got a lot easier, and USC's title hopes went up in flames. Alongside South Carolina, there appears to be a clear top tier in the women's college basketball national championship odds.

Women's National Championship Odds

Here are the updated women's college basketball national championship odds, as of March 25th, 2025.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.