Coach: JuJu Watkins' injury 'will not shake her drive and dedication'

Southern California head coach Lindsay Gottlieb provided encouragement to injured standout forward JuJu Watkins with a statement over social media on Wednesday.

Watkins hurt her right knee in the top-seeded Trojans' 96-59 victory over Mississippi State on Monday in the second round of the NCAA Women's Tournament.

The school did not specify the injury, but ESPN reported late Monday night that Watkins tore her anterior cruciate ligament.

"JuJu is a special player -- unquestionably tough physically and mentally -- and she is deeply loved by her team and her Trojan Family," Gottlieb said. "One thing I know about JuJu is that she is resilient. We are in full support of her and believe that this injury will not shake her drive and dedication to be the best player and person she can be, and to help her teammates shine.

"JuJu's toughness, her talent, and her competitive spirit have impacted our program in more ways than people realize and will continue to inspire us in our pursuit of a national championship."

Watkins averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 33 games this season for USC, which will face fifth-seeded Kansas State in the Sweet 16 on Saturday in Spokane Region 4.

Midway through the first quarter of Monday's game in Los Angeles, Watkins was knocked to the floor as she was fouled on a drive to the basket.

Watkins grabbed her right knee and writhed in pain before trainers tended to her. She was helped off the court, avoiding putting weight on the injured leg.

--Field Level Media