JuJu Watkins has enjoyed an incredibly stellar season in her second year at USC women’s basketball. Averaging 27.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game, Watkins led her team to a 27-2 record and a Big Ten title.
Lindsay Gottlieb Praises JuJu Watkins for Her Latest Achievement
Following her latest achievement, USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb praised her star player, revealing her “it” factor.
“You know, the great thing in all of athletics, not just in women’s basketball, like they have this ‘it’ quality where you see looking in her eyes, and you know that they are able to do things that sort of transcends just the game plan or, you know, what’s in front of them,” Gottlieb said in a chat with B1G women’s basketball on Instagram.
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“She has a singular focus on self-improvement and galvanizing the group to be able to do it with her. She’s very magnetic. She’s incredibly humble, a terrific teammate, but also carries a confidence knowing that she is built for this moment because she put the work in and she’s just a special, special person and competitor.
“I think it’s pretty amazing to see the impact she’s had on the community and the program, you know, in two years, and she’s only 19 years old,” she added.
JuJu Watkins, Lindsay Gottlieb Earn Top Big Ten Awards
Watkins concluded her Big Ten regular season championship with being named the unanimous Big Ten Player of the Year. She scored 30 points, contributing to both ends of the floor in USC’s 80-67 win over UCLA on Saturday night. Watkins also recorded three blocks and two key assists.
Saturday’s win marked the Trojans’ first regular-season league title in 31 years. Watkins contributed to their historic run, including becoming one of the fastest in women’s basketball history to pass the 1,000-point mark after surpassing Caitlin Clark’s record at Iowa.
KEEP READING: Top 10 Women’s College Basketball Players in 2025
USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was not left out of the awards. She was named coach of the year following a vote among league coaches and media members. Since joining the Trojans in 2021, Gottlieb has embarked on revamping the program, which has not won a title in 31 years.
Under her leadership, USC had a 27-2 regular season, with the two losses tied for its fewest ever in the regular season since 1982-83 Trojans, who won the national title.
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