JuJu Watkins made her long-awaited return after missing all of last season with a torn right ACL, scoring 21 points in her first game in 588 days as No. 3 USC routed UNLV 100-68 Monday at T-Mobile Arena in the Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase. The 2024-25 AP National Player of the Year scored her first bucket on a floater at the 5:50 mark of the first quarter to give the Trojans a 6-5 lead, and they never trailed again.
USC dominated throughout, leading 29-15 after one quarter and 52-39 at halftime behind 61 percent shooting. Jazzy Davidson led all scorers with 23 points and Saniyah Hall added 22 as five Trojans reached double figures. UNLV, picked to win the Mountain West, briefly cut the deficit to nine early in the second quarter but committed 24 turnovers that generated 31 USC points.
Maia Rosarion paced the Lady Rebels with 12 points and seven rebounds. UNLV shot 34.9 percent from the field and was outscored 31-10 in the third quarter. Watkins did not return after the third quarter as USC extended the lead to 94-52 with under six minutes remaining.
The loss drops UNLV to 5-7 all-time against USC, with the Trojans winning four of the last five meetings since 2015. The Lady Rebels host UTSA at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Cox Pavilion for their true home opener, where former All-American and two-time Mountain West Player of the Year Des-Rae Young’s No. 23 will be retired in a pregame ceremony.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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