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Juju Watkins is in her second season with No. 4 USC (25-2) and has already established herself as one of the most electrifying players in women's college basketball. Not only is she a dominant scorer, but she's also one of the most marketable athletes in the sport, with endorsement deals from Nike, Gatorade, and State Farm. This season, she has been nothing short of spectacular, suring Caitlin Clark as the fastest Power Five player to reach 1,000 career points, doing so in just 38 games to Clark's 40. Watkins is currently the frontrunner for the Wooden Award, leading the Trojans with averages of 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. USC has built an impressive resume with eight wins over ranked teams, but one of their two losses came in an upset at Iowa on February 2, when Clark's No. 22 jersey was retired. The 76-69 loss was a shock as USC was heavily favored, but a key pregame decision by the Hawkeyes helped turn the tide.
Caitlin Clark Helped Iowa Prepare for Juju Watkins
With Clark in town for her jersey retirement, Iowa made a bold decision - they had her participate in practice as a substitute for Juju Watkins. The idea was to simulate the kind of elite shooting and playmaking that Watkins brings to the court, and it turned out to be a brilliant move. On Courtside Club Interviews with Rachel DeMita, Iowa's Lucy Olsen, who led all scorers with 28 points in the upset win, explained how valuable Clark's presence was in preparing the team.
"She was competitive," Olsen said of Clark's role in practice. "Yeah, it helped that she hits tough shots, just like Juju does. So it was like, 'Okay, she's going to hit some, but we've got to move on to the next game.' It wasn't like we were surprised, like, 'Oh my God, how did Juju just hit that? It was like, 'All right, we saw that yesterday.'" Clark's ability to knock down contested shots forced Iowa to adjust defensively, and when game time came, they weren't caught off guard by Watkins' offensive explosion. While Watkins still managed to score 27 points, the Hawkeyes were able to limit the rest of USC's roster and execute their game plan to perfection.
What's Next for Juju Watkins and USC?
As March approaches, Watkins and USC have one regular season test left with a crucial matchup against rival and No. 3 UCLA on Saturday. Two weeks ago, Watkins torched the Bruins to snap their perfect record, but this rematch could determine USC's tournament seeding. With eight top-25 wins already, their only stumbles have come against No. 1 Notre Dame and the Iowa upset on Clark's big day. Watkins' consistency - she ranks third in the nation in scoring - and versatility make her a nightmare for defenses. If she keeps it up, the Trojans could ride her all the way to a deep NCAA Tournament run, maybe even snagging the Wooden Award along the way.
For now, though, Iowa's upset serves as a reminder that no team is invincible and that preparation can make all the difference. Clark's brief return to practice may have been a farewell to her college days, but for Iowa, it was the key to pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the season