The image — sophomore guard JuJu Watkins on the Galen Center floor, curled into a ball, clutching her right knee, screaming in agony — has already affixed itself into the basketball community’s collective memory. 

The All-American tore her ACL on a routine fast-break sequence Monday against No. 9-seed Mississippi State (22-12, 7-9 SEC), sidelining her for the remainder of the season. 

“One thing I know about JuJu is that she is resilient,” said Head Coach Lindsay Gottlieb in a statement to USC Athletics. “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.”

The No. 1-seed Trojans’ (30-3, 16-1 Big Ten) Sweet 16 meeting with No. 5-seed Kansas State (28-7, 13-5 Big 12) on Saturday in Spokane will be USC’s second game without Watkins since she entered college — the first was Dec. 21, 2023. Watkins plays more minutes per game than any of her teammates, participating in 87% of the Trojans’ game time. 

Irrespective of Watkins’ injury, the tournament scheduled a three-day break. During this recess, Watkins’ cries continued to echo and reverberate from each bend in the bracket. While the heartbreak of her injury pained USC, Los Angeles and the sports world, the media began reevaluating its expectations for the Trojans’ tournament run.

“JuJu and USC had a realistic chance to go to the Final Four, a realistic chance to win a national championship,” Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo told ESPN on Tuesday. “You need elite guard play in order to get to a Final Four … I do not think anymore that it is realistic for USC to expect to go to a Final Four.”

In addition to on-air analysts, sportsbooks adjusted their odds to reflect the impact of Watkins’ absence. FanDuel modified its odds to make USC a longshot title contender at 30-1, ranking No. 8 in a field of 16 teams.

Although Watkins leads the Trojans in points per game (23.9), assists (113) and steals (72), USC is still dancing and dangerous. The Trojans tout graduate forward Kiki Iriafen, who earned Power Forward of the Year in 2023-24; senior forward Rayah Marshall, USC’s all-time leader in rebounds; and, of course, the No. 1 freshman class in the nation, three of whom average over 15 minutes per game. 

When Watkins went to the locker room Monday, the Trojans’ center of gravity shifted toward Iriafen, as she filled the stat sheet with a season-high 36 points. Iriafen has a history of stepping up big in tournament games. Most notably last year, she compiled 41 points and 16 rebounds to advance Stanford beyond the Round of 32. This season, Iriafen averages 18.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, shooting over 50% from the field. 

“Obviously, Kiki is one of the best players in the country,” said Mississippi State Head Coach Sam Purcell in a postgame press conference. “We had our center on her, a guard on her, we doubled her. We went 2-3, we went man-to-man, we trapped her … We threw the whole kitchen sink and the house, but she was just electric. Elite players know when they need to rise to the occasion.”

Graduate guard Talia von Oelhoffen and Marshall also have experience guiding teams to the Elite 8. Marshall, the backbone of the Trojans’ defense, averaged a double-double in points (10.2) and rebounds (10.5) last season.

“I feel like when it’s March, it’s all about wins,” Marshall said. “Whatever I need [to do], whether we are pressing or picking up full-court man, I feel like being aggressive to get the W, forcing turnovers. Being vocal with my teammates.”

Still, Kansas State is a veteran-led team more so than the Trojans. The Wildcats proved their mature resilience in their most recent win. After they lost three of their last four games heading into the NCAA Tournament by an average of 14.3 points per loss, they went on to upset No. 4-seed Kentucky (23-8, 11-5 SEC) in overtime Sunday to make their first Sweet 16 since 2002.

Kansas State’s offensive focal point is 6-foot-6-inch graduate center Ayoka Lee, who averages 15.6 points per game and shoots 64.1% from the field. To support her production inside, the Wildcats convert 38.8% of their 3-pointers — ranked No. 2 in Division I. So even if USC can stall Lee in the paint, the Wildcats can space the floor and score behind the arc. 

Kansas State also shares the ball efficiently. Against Kentucky, the Wildcats had 25 assists on 29 made baskets, with 14 from senior guard Serena Sundell. On the other hand, USC thrives in transition by disrupting its opponents with full-court pressure and forcing turnovers. For the Trojans to win with their style of ball, they’ll likely have to get Kansas State to commit close to its average losing number of turnovers (16); USC opponents average 19.7 giveaways per game.

The Trojans, now reworked, look to extend their stay in Washington for the Elite Eight and reclaim their national title aspirations against Kansas State on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.