INDIANAPOLIS — JuJu Watkins’ glitzy offensive stats are enough to earn her national player of the year honors.
It’s her defense that’s going to make USC so dangerous heading into the NCAA tournament.
Watkins dropped 31 points on Indiana during an 84-79 win in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals Friday, the seventh time this season she’s had 30 or more points. But without Watkins’ repeated disruptions at the other end, Southern California doesn’t win this game.
There was her block of Yarden Garzon’s gimme layup with the game tied early in the third. There was her defensive rebound that led to a fast-break layup when the Trojans were down 1 point later that quarter. There was her steal early in the fourth, with USC clinging to a 4-point lead, to go along with steals in the first and second quarters. There were her 10 rebounds, tied with Kiki Iriafen for the game high.
‘How she has developed into the two-way player that she is is really remarkable,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said after the Trojans’ escaped with an 84-79 win that was even tighter than the scoreline indicates.
‘The ways that she makes game-changing plays and makes something out of nothing for us and takes away something that looks easy for the other team is really tremendous,” Gottlieb added. “Look, you guys probably know how I feel about it. I think she’s the Player of the Year nationally for a number of different reasons. But I am glad that her game-changing ability on the defensive end is being talked about a little bit more because you see it.”
USC, the Big Ten’s regular-season champ, plays Michigan on Saturday afternoon.
It’s hard not to be dazzled by what Watkins does offensively. The nation’s second-leading scorer can hit from anywhere on the floor, no matter how many people are in her face. In the third quarter Friday, she had two Hoosiers in front of her and was falling forward when she put up a shot.
Swish. And she drew foul.
Her 3-pointer over Lexus Bargesser late in the fourth was reminiscent of another player who now calls Gainbridge Fieldhouse home. Watkins has a knack for getting to the foul line, too.
‘Where JuJu really puts pressure on you is how she kind of leans into that shot,” Indiana coach Teri Moren said. “I think one of the recipes in trying to beat a really good USC team is keeping her especially off the free-throw line.”
But the offensive load Watkins carries for USC makes what she does defensively that much more impressive.
‘Think about what she handles on the offensive end. We get her the ball as much as we can. There’s multiple bodies draped on her. She takes a lot of contact. She’s a physical player. Then we say, ‘Oh by the way, impact the game defensively, too,’” Gottlieb said. ‘She takes no breaks.”
Next time USC plays, watch where Watkins is when the Trojans are on defense. There are no breathers, no hanging back and waiting for an outlet pass. She’s mixing it up under the basket, defending players even if they have several inches on her.
(When USC beat UCLA last month, three of Watkins’ career-best eight blocks were on Lauren Betts, who at 6-foot-7 is 5 inches taller.)
‘I just go out there and play for the team, and whatever’s needed in me, I do,’ Watkins said.
If the Trojans are to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament, they’ll need big performances from Watkins. On both ends of the floor.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.