USC Women's Basketball secured a victory against Stanford with JuJu Watkins' impressive 51-point performance.

February 03, 2024

USC Women's Basketball secured a victory against Stanford with JuJu Watkins' impressive 51-point performance.

JuJu Watkins, the exceptional five-star freshman from Sierra Canyon School, delivered a standout performance in the 2023-24 season, marking not only her personal best but also the most outstanding individual game of the year. In a challenging away game against the favored Stanford Cardinal, ranked No. 4 in the nation with a significant lead over the No. 15 Trojans, Watkins achieved an incredible feat by scoring 51 points. Her impressive performance, which included 14-of-26 shooting from the field, 6-of-11 from beyond the arc, and 17-of-19 from the free-throw line, propelled the underdog Trojans to a 67-58 victory. This remarkable win improved USC's record to 15-4 for the season (5-4 in the Pac-12), while Stanford's record stands at 19-3.

Let's emphasize that once more.

51 points.

Watkins accounted for an astounding 51 out of her team's 67 points, translating to 76.1% of the total. The 6'2" wing not only showcased her scoring prowess but also contributed 11 rebounds, four steals, and two assists. If we delve into the specifics, her two impressive assists led to layups, directly contributing to 55 of the team's 67 points (82%).

According to USC's official Twitter account, these 51 points mark the highest individual scoring performance by a Division I player this season. Additionally, Watkins becomes the first USC women's player to surpass 40 points in a game since Hall of Famer Tina Thompson in 1996, as noted by the Trojans' Twitter account. More significantly, according to The Associated Press, this achievement establishes a new single-game scoring record for a USC player, surpassing the previous high of 50 points set by Cherie Nelson on March 11th, 1989, against California.

The initial half of the game unfolded as a relatively evenly contested battle, marked by five lead changes. Appropriately, the teams found themselves deadlocked at the halftime score of 31-31. However, as early as the conclusion of the first quarter, it was evident that Watkins was in top form.

A dominant 21-11 performance in the third quarter firmly established USC as the commanding force for the night. Watkins, singlehandedly, surpassed the entire Cardinal team in scoring during this period, recording 15 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field (including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc) and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.

She showcased her offensive versatility throughout the night, starting with another pull-up three-pointer...

Stanford actually outscored USC by a point, 16-15, in the final period, and for a while, it seemed like the Cardinal was mounting a comeback. Watkins contributed 11 of those points (eight from free throws) and also assisted in another two, providing a dime to McKenzie Forbes for a layup.

Strategic free throws from junior Cardinal forward Kiki Iriafen brought Stanford within striking distance of USC, narrowing the Trojans' lead to just two points, 58-56, with 2:18 remaining. The game remained interesting due to fouls on both sides until Watkins managed to create some late separation.

Two-time All-American Stanford forward Cameron Brink recorded 19 points (on 4-of-14 shooting from the floor, but compensated by going 11-of-12 from the foul line), secured 15 rebounds, and blocked eight shots.

Only one other Trojan player scored more than two points: graduate student McKenzie Forbes, who ended with 12 points on 5-of-18 shooting (2-of-7 from three-point range).

USC held a significant advantage in ball control, committing just seven turnovers compared to Stanford's 13. The Trojans also displayed better three-point shooting accuracy, hitting 34.8% on 23 attempts compared to the Cardinal's 26.7% on 15 tries.

Watkins' offensive prowess proved to be the decisive factor. Despite Stanford's aggressive defense restricting Watkins to jumpers for a significant portion of the first half and pressuring her to take shots on her weaker side (the left), the emerging superstar adapted. She demonstrated remarkable skill in converting mid- and long-range shots off the dribble, even with Cardinal defenders closely guarding her.

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USC Women's Basketball secured a victory against Stanford with JuJu Watkins' impressive 51-point performance.

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